


Mind the Gap

by LadyNovaJade



Category: British Actor RPF, Richard Armitage - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Hobbit cast shenanigans, Just a lovely little piece, Romance, Sex, with lots of sex all in there eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-22
Updated: 2015-02-27
Packaged: 2018-01-16 14:55:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 34,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1351567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyNovaJade/pseuds/LadyNovaJade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being a 2nd Assistant Director in the film industry gave Kate Brooks something she always wanted; the ability to blend into the shadows, to be the glue that held everything together without the hassle of being the center of attention. </p><p>Then Richard Armitage came into her life, and shined a light in all the dark places she wanted to hide…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

-Chapter One-

_December 2010_

She hated the cold. No, that was a little harsh and not exactly true. What she hated the most was a cold morning; she didn’t care if it was technically summer. Temperamental weather. But that’s what you get when you work in a country in the southern hemisphere, on the other side of the world. At the bottom of the world, they were in the beginning of summer while it was probably a snowy and chilly winter back in the States. So things could be worse.

Kate Brooks pulled her light coat around her tighter as she flitted through the back lots of Stone Street Studios, which sat near Evans Bay in Miriam on the the south side of Wellington, New Zealand. The wind was biting at best and actually, this weather was tolerable considering it could be sleeting or hailing or storming. Yes, even in the summer, Wellington could have some temperamental weather. It made her scoff to think a bitter wind was actually the better of all those options.

She moved around rolling props and yawning crew men who were getting their day started as well. Five a.m. came early in Wellington, especially when one was in pre-production on a movie set. Just thinking about what time it was, the skies still inky black-blue, made Kate yawn. Pre-production was usually fairly chaotic, but Stone Street was still mostly quiet. Partly because the actors wouldn’t officially arrive in the country until the next day or so and the staff on set now would just piddle about, trying different designs, looking at different set ups.

Being the second assistant director on the production of The Hobbit was something Kate had been looking forward to ever since the movie’s producer, Peter Jackson, called her up and asked if she could spare a year or two in New Zealand. As if she could have turned him down? The production she had been on at the time in California had wrapped and she had considered a month or so off. Kate had put back enough money for the occasion and was thinking of visiting her mom in North Carolina. But Peter’s call completely changed her mind.

She met Peter Jackson when she was 18, fresh out of high school and with little to no money in her pocket. He and his studio were wrapping up the Return of the King post-production when she stood outside the gate for three days until he brought her into his office.

"I have many looking to work with us, not just because they want the job but because of all the Lord of the Rings success," he told her point blank. "Why do you think an 18-year-old American with no film experience has a chance?"

Kate had nothing to lose at the time. “Because I can do it. Three days ago I didn’t know what I wanted with my life. I packed up two bags and all the money I had and came here, looking for something. When I drove by Stone Street … it felt right. I don’t know if I’ll love it or hate it, but I don’t want to regret not trying.”

He hired her on the spot, doing odd errand jobs. As she came in on the tail end of the Lord of the Rings madness, Kate missed the craziness that could be a 13- to 14-month shoot. She enjoyed the work, asked questions whenever she could and soon, Peter was dragging her around to do other movies, and giving her recommendations to other directors and studios. Nearly seven years later and she was a well accomplished second assistant to the director. And she liked it. She liked to be the quiet one behind the scenes, pulling things together, making the plans, getting people where they needed to be. She was the glue. She liked being that.

When Peter called her in for The Hobbit, the excitement was almost too much to bear. But when he offered her a first AD job, she respectfully declined. No, 2nd AD would do just fine, thank you. Being the silent hand that nudged everything into place, that’s what she loved.

So that was why Kate rushed toward the ADs Portacom of Stone Street at 5:15 … no scratch that, 5:20 in the morning. Her home away from home away from home during production. The amazing thing about being the second assistant director on the Hobbit? She wasn’t the bottom of the totem pole. Last count, there were 11 ADs total. So really, she was like a vice president. Which suited her just fine.

As she rushed into the small portacom, the offices of the ADs that sat near all the trailers for the actors, Kate was greeted by a large Starbucks cup. She looked up into the face of Bryon, a 2nd 2nd AD, and smiled gratefully.

"You are an angel sent from God," she murmured, hanging up her coat and gingerly taking the cup to warm her chilled hands.

"You’ll call me a saint when you taste it," he countered in his lovely New Zealand accent.

She took a sip and immediately groaned, “Oh pumpkin spice. Bless you Saint Bryon,” she grinned.

"Worth it, yeah?"

"Completely. What’s on deck this morning?" she asked as they walked through the open space of the portacom.

"Matthew is working on schedules, asked to see you as soon as you came in," Bryon said softly.

Kate looked hopeful, “They going to let us shoot?”

Bryon shrugged, “I’m not the boss man, don’t know that info, shelia.”

The two separated as they came to a small hallway and Kate continued down to the last office on the right; the quarters of Matthew Garrison, the lead Assistant Director on the production. True to what Bryon described, the seasoned-AD was scribbling away at schedules.

"This is a right mess, you know that," he said softly to her, not bothering to look up.

"It’s what happens when we can’t get the clearing from the studio, our director quits and the producer takes over and oh hey, there is to be a Kiwi workers’ strike soon," Kate said softly, coming in and sitting across from Matthew.

He looked up at that, “So they’re gonna do it, eh?”

She shrugged, “That’s the rumor.”

"Bugger," he grumbled. "Well, I guess the idea of filming The Hobbit was good while it lasted."

Kate sipped her latte and then gave Matthew a confident look, “It’ll happen. Peter wants to make this movie too badly for it not to.”

"I hope you’re right, because I’ll be sending a lot of people home if not. By the by, Peter would like you at Block 4 tomorrow morning."

Kate’s brow scrunched. Block 4 housed all the production offices of Stone Street. “Why would he need me there?”

"Our three mains are in tomorrow. Going over some scripts and such before the others show in the coming days. We’ll need to work up training schedules, make up and wardrobe prep. If we get the clearance, things will move quick. If not, well …" Matthew trailed off and Kate refused to think about the possibly the end of that sentence might bring.

"Well then we’ll just have more time to be nit-picky about things. And Pete loves to nit-pick, so no harm, no foul," Kate said resolutely, refusing to think any other way. She stood and smiled, "Don’t worry, Matthew. We’ll have so much to do, we’ll be wondering why in the hell we were worried to begin with."

He mumbled something, but she just waved him off as she headed back out into the hallway and down two offices. Her cubby hole wasn’t nearly as big as Matthew’s, but it suited her. And it gave her privacy to sit and do her work in peace when she wasn’t on set. Today it was a stack of paperwork concerning extras she needed to approve. There was also a blinking light on her phone, indicating a voicemail. Or probably multiple voicemails from various heads of the departments around Stone Street wanting to schedule actors as they came in.

Kate sat down quietly and took a deep breath, giving herself a moment to enjoy her pumpkin spice latte and then got down to work.

~*~*~*~

The weather wasn’t any better at 10 a.m. the next day than it had been at 5 a.m. the previous morning. It had rained a bit earlier, chilling the air, with the skies promising more. And she was still running late.

Her heeled boots clicked on the slightly wet pavement as she dashed between two crew members shoving scale pieces back to the warehouse for Peter and the producers to look over. The meeting of Peter and the three principal actors of The Hobbit was supposed to start at 10 a.m. on the dot. Kate was half-way to Block 4 and it was 10:02. Her blood was pumping in her ears, her scarf was sticking to her neck and her long black waves of hair stuck out in every direction from under her beanie hat, but she kept running.

Dammit, why hadn’t she set that alarm on her phone? She should have known that once she got knee-deep in talking with the other departments on the lot that she would lose track of time. And that’s exactly what happened.

When Anne Marie, another 2nd 2nd AD and Kate’s good friend, poked in and asked why she wasn’t at 4A, Kate cursed under her breath, snatched up her scarf and hat, and raced out of the portacom, her binder in her hands. She kept cursing the entire way, hoping Peter wouldn’t be too cross with her and praying the actors wouldn’t look down their noses at her. She hated making a bad impression on actors straight out the gate. Made it so much harder to deal with them.

10:03 a.m.

Kate finally reached the studio offices and flew through the door, calling out hellos to the production assistants and managers as she went. She didn’t have time to be any more polite than that. She knew Peter and the actors would be in the small conference room at the end of the hall, and she dashed that way.

"I’m here, I’m here!" Kate called as a greeting as she reached to open the door of the conference room. At that exact moment, however, she felt the handle tug open sharply under her grasp, bringing her with it. There was an undignified sound of fear that left her as she lost her balance and pitched forward. But instead of landing face first onto the floor and completely embarrassing herself even more, she felt strong, warm arms come around her and lift her up.

She gasped and looked up, meeting a stern blue-grey gaze which softened the more she looked. Kate gulped, pressing her hands into the broad chest of the man who caught her. As her own blue eyes wandered over her would-be savior, she saw he was tall, with at least seven to eight inches on her. He was lean, fit and his face long and defined, a slight stubble on his cheeks and chin. His dark hair was cropped short and looked as if he had just run his fingers through it that morning, which was not a bad look at all.

He was dressed very nicely; dark wash jeans and a blue button down that did a million amazing things for his eyes, she thought. His lips were thin, but quirked in a very slight smile as he watched her too. Kate felt her stomach flutter, despite herself.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly and Kate had enough of her sense still left to register his British accent - clean and crisp; he had to have been from the north at the very least.

"I’m fine," she replied just as softly and - she hated to admit - a little breathlessly. The man was incredibly attractive and she couldn’t help but completely enjoy the compromising position they were in.

"Ah, there you are poppet!" Peter’s voice called and Kate’s professionalism kicked back and she slowly backed away from the strange man who was still staring at her. "We thought you might have gotten lost."

"No, no, I was busy with the department heads. I’m really sorry about being late," she said, moving over to hug Peter. The man was like a hobbit - a bit stubborn and set in his ways, but very friendly and welcoming. Once you were family, there was no way he was turning his back on you. Plus he was just a blast to work with on set.

"Oh don’t you trouble your pretty head about that," Pete said with a smile. "Come now, let’s meet the gents," he said, gesturing to the three other men in the room, including Mr. Stranger who had been holding her a moment before.

"Gentlemen, this is my second assistant director, Kate Brooks. She will be the glue that holds us together around here," Peter said cheerfully, his arm around her shoulder. "Kate, these are our three principals. Sir Ian McKellan."

Kate learned long ago that some actors never meet your expectations. You hope they are kind and gracious and as amazing as they are on screen, but many times they are not. She was very happy as she took the older actor’s hand that this was not one of those cases.

"Sir Ian, it’s an honor to finally meet you," she said warmly with a bright smile.

Ian returned the gesture, covering their hands with his other. “The sentiment is shared, my dear girl. Peter has done nothing but rave about you since our arrival. And don’t you look just lovely,” he commented.

Kate smiled and looked down, happy with her outfit as well. She usually just kept to the nice, comfy pair of jeans and whatever shirt would be best for that day’s weather during filming. But when she was scheduled to meet the actors for the first time, Kate always liked to look nice. For this meeting - and the insane Wellington weather - Kate had put on a pair of chocolate brown tights, a darker tan knee-length skirt with a soft, thin grey sweater top. She had put on her favorite tan knee-high heeled boots that morning and a dash of make-up before heading out the door.

She would be lying if she said she wasn’t in love with the outfit and happy to get approval. There was always a stigma that ADs were sloppy. “Thank you very much,” she answered a tad shyly.

"And our hobbit, Martin Freeman," Peter continued.

Kate and Martin also shared a warm greeting and then once again, Kate found herself face to face with the man from earlier. She was glad there was some space between them now. “And this is Richard Armitage, our Thorin,” Peter said.

Made sense now and Kate had a fleeting thought she would have to congratulate Phillipa and the casting department on hitting the nail on the head with this one. Just looking at him made her intrigued; all dark and broody. Kingly, she thought vaguely. And yet, there was something about him … something she couldn’t put her finger on.

"Richard, it’s a pleasure," she said softly, offering her hand.

Richard offered her a small smile which caused a warm feeling to pool in her stomach. His long fingers encircled her hand and his palm was warm, slightly rough. “The pleasure is all mine, Kate,” he said, his voice low and gravelly and oh dear, if that was what his voice sounded like all the time, she was in a lot of trouble.

Their hands just stayed connected for the longest time as they looked at one another and Kate felt like she was being the most ridiculous girl on the planet. So she smiled and dropped his hand. He must have thought she was nuts.

"Let’s get to it, shall we?" Peter asked, clapping his hands together and jolting Kate from her reverie.

The group took their seats and as Peter discussed filming with his three actors, Kate settled in and began jotting notes furiously, making sure not to miss a detail. She loved Pete, but he would forget by the end of the day what they all discussed. She loved to listen to the conversations he had with actors and take notes. This meeting was no different. The ebb and flow of the four voices, soft in their lovely accents made Kate’s chore no trouble at all.

Sometimes she would pause and watch them all interact. None of them really paid her no mind … except every few times, she’d look over and Richard would look at her at the same time. Kate always looked straight back down. It was odd, when they would catch each other’s gazes like that. Just another thing about Richard Armitage that had Kate stumped.

The meeting concluded an hour or two later and as goodbyes were shared, Pete looked around at the three and said, “Well, I know Ian knows his way around. Martin and Richard, would you care for a tour of Stone Street?”

"Oh that would be lovely, but I’m afraid my Amanda is due in and I would like to meet her at the airport. How about tomorrow?" Martin asked politely.

Kate nodded, “Of course. I can have one of the 2nd 2nd ADs take you around before we send you to the makeup ladies.”

"Fantastic. Well, it was nice seeing you lot. Til tomorrow!" the actor called cheerfully before disappearing out of the room.

There was a slight moment of pause and Kate tried to not look at Richard. She tried really hard to concentrate on her binder and hope that he would wait to tour the studio with Martin the next day.

"If the offer still stands, I wouldn’t mind staying a bit longer to look around," his deep voice sounded and Kate felt like cringing and smiling all at the same time. Thankfully she didn’t because that would have looked awful.

"Excellent. Have fun! Ian, just a moment before you head off, I’d like to discuss the filming of the White Council…" Peter started to trail off into script topics and scene blocking as he and Ian walked from the room.

That left Kate and Richard standing in the room, looking at one another. Kate wrapped her arms around her binder and looked at him with as blank a face as she could muster. Richard simply looked back, a small, curious smirk on his face as he casually put his hands in his front pockets.

"Shall we then?" he asked after a moment.

Kate looked him over one more time, wondering what it was about him that made her feel so … off kilter. She then smiled and nodded, “Yes, of course. Follow me.”

She took him around the lots, explaining different areas, and showed him the new sound stages that had just been completed for the filming of The Hobbit. They bustled through the wardrobe and wig departments, a light, pleasant conversation going on between them during the trek and slowly, Kate started to feel at ease with him.

"So, may I ask you a question, Kate?" Richard asked, his voice rolling through him smoothly. It reminded Kate of warm hot chocolate - how smooth and delicious it was and warmed her from the inside out.

Kate gave him a warm, content smile, “Technically you just did, but I will permit you another.”

He chuckled softly as they walked on through the lot that housed the actors’ trailers. “How long have you been an AD?”

She blew out a breath, “God, a few years now? I got into film when I was 18 and didn’t look back. But my first gig as an assistant director was about three years ago.”

Richard nodded, “You’ve gotten far in a short time it seems.” He then looked away from her, “Not that I should assume you’re very young or anything …”

Kate laughed softly. “I am young. Turning 25 in March, but I’m proud of that, you know? Especially since I didn’t know after high school what I wanted to do with my life. The fact that I’m successful in this endeavor says a lot. I enjoy it and few people my age can say they enjoy what they are doing at this point in their lives.”

Richard was once again watching her as she spoke and when she finished he gave her what might have been a slight look of awe. “Well, you are definitely more than meets the eye, it seems.”

She opened her mouth to make some silly joke about Transformers, but decided against it. She suddenly felt silly and young, which was saying something because she always felt older than she really was. But there was something in Richard’s cool, intelligent stare that saw right through her and she had to look away as they came to the parking lot.

"Here we are. I hope I did the studio justice on your tour," she said quietly.

"You did. I can’t wait until we start to film and the place really comes alive," he answered, his hands back in the pocket of his jeans as his gaze wandered around the sparsely occupied studio lots.

That made her smile brighten, “You’ll love it. It’s really special, Stone Street.”

Richard licked his lips and held her gaze, “I think I must agree.”

They had a moment again, just staring at one another before Richard broke the gaze. “Well thank you again, Kate. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She swallowed hard and nodded, “Yes, and thank you. For not letting me fall on my face earlier, you know.”

He turned back and looked at her again as if he was as intrigued with her as she was with him. “It was my pleasure. Good night.”

Kate stood rooted to her spot and offered an awkward wave as he drove off in his rental. Most ADs would tell you there was always something quirky about each set they worked on. Kate had thought, when she came back to New Zealand, that being on The Hobbit set would be quirky enough in itself. She was starting to wonder if maybe she spoke too soon.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I seriously hate this chapter. lol As I was editing I just cringed. It’s a really crappy filler chapter. I’m so sorry, please forgive me. And thank you to everyone who's liked, followed or commented! I really appreciate your thoughts! <3

-Chapter 2-

_February 2011_

"Peter is going to have an aneurysm," Matthew grumbled.

Kate tried to hide her smile, "No he won’t. We’re cleared to start filming next month. Just means that the guys have an extra month now to get to know one another."

Matthew scoffed and crossed his arms. The two were standing in one of the smaller sound stages, watching as the 13 actors who were to play the company of dwarves, along with Martin, were going through their daily routine. Talk like a dwarf, look like a dwarf, move like a dwarf. Peter wanted to make sure he gave his actors the pieces and then let them put the puzzle together. That meant breaking them down and building them back as dwarves of Middle Earth.

It was really fascinating to watch. The first week was rough, but now they were really getting into it.

" ‘ello, love!" Aidan Turner - Kili - called out, his wooden prop sword twirling in his hands as he and co-star Robert Kazinsky - Fili - walked past.

Kate smiled and waved. Aidan had been through the runner with the make-up and hair departments. To give him a beard, to keep him with a light stubble? They couldn’t make up their minds. Every week it changed and Kate told him it was like meeting a new Aidan every day. But he seemed to be having a blast doing it all.

His counterpart, Rob, however, was a different story. Some days were good, others weren’t. Kate was getting a bit worried about it all. And the rumors that circulated about his possible departure from the film didn’t help. But they would just have to cross that bridge when they came to it.

The others had changed as well since arriving. Two months ago, most had been clean shaven and not entirely fit. Now they were all surly, most with beards and steely looks. Graham was definitely one that was amazing to watch. It was fascinating to see the soft spoken Scot transform into a brash, loud, down-right scary dwarven warrior. Even in bootcamp, where they were starting to use the prop boots to work up the strength in their legs, it was fun to see Graham slip into the part of Dwalin.

Like right now. There was a loud, gruff yell from over on the far mat and Kate’s eyes wandered over to watch Graham and Richard wrestle about, laughing and knocking their boots against one another in some dwarven ritual they apparently made up.

Richard’s transformation had been gradual as the weeks went past. While the others had grown out slightly longer beards, Richard’s had been kept shorter. In one of the meetings with him in full costume, Kate remembered how he said he didn’t like how his look deviated so much from the book. Another tidbit she had picked up about him in the last few months? Richard Armitage was a total Tolkien geek. And it was arguably very cute.

"Robert will leave, don’t you think?" Matthew said to her, pulling her out of her staring at Richard.

Kate shrugged and looked over at the AD. "Who knows. It’s restless around here. Once we get into March, it’ll be okay. Things will settle," she said.

"You have a knack for that, you know," he commented back to her.

Her brow furrowed, “A knack for what?”

"Being optimistic all the bloody time," Matthew grinned. "I’m going with Peter over to the next meeting with Alan and John. Tidy up around here?"

Kate rolled her eyes and waved him off as he walked away. When he left, she heaved in a big sigh and turned back out to see the dwarven company loitering about. It was almost lunchtime, so she was contemplating whether to call the wrap for lunch yet or wait for them to finish another set of practice.

She was so lost in her thoughts as her eyes scanned around that she was shocked when she locked gazes with Richard. He gave her a smirk and Kate quickly broke eye contact.

"All right gentlemen, let’s break for lunch," she called, striding quickly toward the door.

~*~*~*~

"She’s quite an interesting wee thing, isn’t she?"

"What?" Richard asked, turning his gaze away from the pretty little AD making her way across the stage to the door. It was a bit more difficult than he wanted to admit, but only because he enjoyed the subtle swing of her hips and the way her ankle-high boots clicked on the concrete. He never tired of watching an attractive woman walk in heels. And second assistant director Kate Brooks was very attractive indeed.

"Young Kate," Graham said, slightly out of breath from their practicing as he nodded his head in Kate’s direction.

Richard shrugged nonchalantly and made himself keep his gaze on his feet. "I suppose so. I’ve only spoken to her a few times," he said softly, walking over to a nearby chair to pull of the prop boots that weighed a damn bloody ton.

Graham followed him and sat down himself, chuckling as he tugged at the lacings of his boots. "That’s probably because you have done more staring at the lass than talking."

"I’ve talked to her. Christ, Graham, she’s an AD, not some … some." Richard couldn’t even find the words he wanted to end the sentence with. He also wasn’t so sure why his tone had become so defensive.

"You’re smitten on her, aren’t you?" Graham then let out a laugh that made Richard wonder if he was still playing the part of Dwalin.

"I’m not dignifying that with a response, thank you," Richard said, his tone low and threatening. He wanted to drop this subject.

Mostly because truth of the matter was, Richard was intrigued by Kate. He nearly scoffed when she told him she wasn’t yet 25. Compared to his age, which was knocking on 40 years unfortunately, she was more than likely out of his realm of possibility. She looked bright, with the world at her feet. And while she was quiet and mostly kept to herself, she seemed to draw people around her without them realizing. At first, he attributed it to the fact she was an AD and - as Peter predicted at their first meeting - the glue of the production.

But as Richard watched her, he saw it was more than the job. She was attentive to everyone and whether they realized it or not, they would gravitate to her small smile and kind words. It wasn’t flattery she fawned everyone with, it was her honesty, which Richard liked. In one of their few chats, she told him once it was her job to be friends with the cast; that way it was so much easier to get them out of bed at 5 in the morning. Richard didn’t buy that though. He’d worked with many ADs, none like Kate.

And he, like all the others, was drawn to her. Like a moth to a warm flame.

Only, unlike the others - mostly Aidan and Rob - Richard kept his distance. He liked to talk to her when they could manage it, but he wouldn’t allow himself to engage in flirting or anything with her. Aidan had that wrapped up pretty securely, he kept telling himself, which was just as well. The Irishman was young and all the women on the set fawned over him. If he had his eyes set on Kate, Richard would _really_ have no chance … not that he wanted any, mind you.

"You know, when you get like this, I can’t tell if you’re Richard or Thorin," Graham said lightly, his hands folded over his stomach as he looked over at his fellow actor.

Feeling frustrated at his thoughts and Graham’s baiting, Richard tossed off his last boot, picked up his trainers and headed for the exit. Graham’s laughter behind him made him grind his teeth.

The walk all the way across the back lot was quiet. Most were in for dinner already or hiding out from the weather, which was positively dreadful. Richard zipped up his jumper and pulled the hood up to block the light drizzle raining down from the grey clouds. When he stepped into the catering tent, the noise was tremendous. He went through the food line quickly and was contemplating on whether he wanted to head back to his trailer or not, when he looked over to his left.

He stopped short as he saw Kate at a table by herself - her large binder, which seemed to be attached to her hip, open up for her to scribble on and a pastry in her free hand. Richard knew he shouldn’t have ran his eyes over her, but he did anyway. He was used to ADs looking about as put together as a university student, but Kate was always dressed smartly … well, very lovely actually.

Today it was a pair of black leggings, a simple blue summery dress hugging her body and those grey ankle boots on her feet. Her hair was in long inky-black waves down her back and they looked soft and warm, in the way only a woman’s hair could be.

Having no idea what he was doing, Richard pushed the hood of his jumper back and suddenly pivoted on his feet, walking confidently toward her table. He was just being friendly, he told himself. And polite. If his mother knew he’d let a woman eat alone without at least having the decency to ask if she’d like company first, she’d have disapproved.

"Do you always work through your dinner?" he asked quietly, hoping not to startle her.

Kate didn’t jump, thankfully, but simply drew her eyes up from the page to meet his. Hers were a gorgeous blue with a bare tint of green to them. The kind of eyes he wouldn’t mind staring into while he….

No, he thought sharply, trying to push that image aside.

She smiled warmly, "Well I’m always working, so I suppose the answer to your question is yes," she said, just as softly.

Richard had never been particularly fond of American accents. He didn’t have an opinion one way or another on them, really, but they were nothing very pretty or exotic. But there was something about Kate’s he liked. He liked the way she was careful with her pronunciation and how her voice flowed smoothly, with a slight blunt tone.

"May I?" he smiled, gesturing to the seat next to her.

Kate took a moment to look a tad leery, but then returned his warm smile. "Sure."

When he took his seat, Kate shifted from her laid back position, leaning toward him. "So, you’re going to convince me to take a break?"

He shrugged, "I thought it might be worth my effort. If you’re willing to play along."

Richard had no idea what in the hell he was playing at. But by the way Kate looked him over and then smiled softly, he was willing to take a bet he had made a pretty good gamble.

"Okay then," Kate said, reaching over and carefully closing her binder. "You have my attention, Mr. Armitage."

That made him smile, "Very well then. Just one question about work, and then we’ll leave off the topic for the rest of the lunch hour."

Kate nodded and took a small bite of her pastry, and for a moment, Richard was too fascinated by the action than he rightly should have been.

He cleared his throat, "Right, so why the need to be so busy when we haven’t started filming yet?"

Kate smiled, "Want to hit the ground running. It’s better to be ahead as much as I can before things get too crazy."

Richard nodded, "Fair enough."

"Now I have a work question before we move on," she said suddenly which made him look at her in surprise.

"Actors have a rapport with each other that directors, producers and ADs, we can never have with you," she said softly, diplomatically as she shifted closer to him. It made him wonder what types of actors she had dealings with in the past to make her so cautious in approaching him.

"Is Robert thinking of leaving the cast?" she whispered.

The question made him sit back. It was well known amongst the actors that Robert was getting antsy during the wait. A few others were as well; Aidan gave up a great gig on "Being Human" to be a part of the Hobbit. Hell even Richard gave up a steady role on "Strike Back" for this. But Peter had worked and fought tooth and nail to get them the March date. When Peter had approached Richard about playing Thorin in the beginning, Richard had his reservations. But Peter had faith in him, so the least Richard could do was return the favor.

But not all the others would think like him.

"He hasn’t expressed anything like that to me," he said honestly and carefully.

Kate nodded and leaned back a bit, "Sorry, but I … I just wanted to ask. The rumors are getting a bit rampant. I don’t think he will I just…" she paused in her rambling, which Richard found to be endearing and looked at him with wide eyes. "Oh, I’m sorry Richard. And please… don’t think Peter set me up to this or anything. No one did, I just wanted …"

"No, no," Richard held up a hand in a sign of peace. "I don’t believe that. It’s fine, really."

She nodded, but still looked a tad nervous she had overstepped some boundary so Richard instinctively reached out, covering her hand resting on the table with his. Kate looked up and for a moment, they just stared at one another.

"It’s all right," he said finally, and then reluctantly and rather slowly drew his hand from hers.

Kate smiled softly and then nodded. "Okay. No more talk of work."

"Yes, no more talk of that. So what shall we talk of then?" he asked, taking a bite of his food.

She sneaked another bite of her pastry, looking thoughtful for a moment. "Well, I’m not casting so I have to admit, I know nothing about you."

"You mean everyone wasn’t required to memorize my biography?" he teased.

"I might have missed that memo." She smiled again and Richard felt very good in his decision to sit with her. "Tell me about Richard Armitage."

He took a deep breath, "Well, not a lot to tell really. I’m a rather boring bloke."

"Now that I don’t believe. I know you’re an accomplished actor, so we can mark that off. You probably get to talk about that too much already," she said.

Richard had to laugh at her bluntness. "Very well then, why don’t we start with what you want to know?"

Kate smiled brightly, "You sure you want to give me that kind of power?"

Oh, he was sure. More than sure. He wanted to give her a lot more than that too… Richard cleared his throat again, "I don’t have anything to be afraid of, I think."

She laughed at that. "Tell me about your family?"

He blew out a breath, "Well, I have a mother and a father and one older brother."

When he didn’t say anything after that, she nudged his elbow with hers. "Not much on the details of that, are you?"

He shrugged, "They’re my family, I love them and wish I could see them more. They were always supportive of me, all through my theatre days and they still show their support now."

"Oh, I remember reading you started in theatre. So, you’re very musical?" She was teasing him now he could see. But while his rational brain told him flirting was not his best option to say distant, he completely ignored it.

"Depends on who’s asking," he grinned. "I can sing well enough, I think. I also used to dance and play cello."

Her eyes widened, "You play cello?"

"Not as well or as frequently as I would like."

"I love classical music. Well, I love all kinds of music, but when we’re working, I love to listen to string quartets and piano pieces. It … calms me down," she admitted. When she finished, she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth in what he took to be a nervous gesture, "Do you … or would you I guess, be up for playing for me sometime? I’d love to hear you."

He was surprised by that. And he suddenly felt slightly embarrassed, as he wasn’t good at all. Or not anymore. "Ah well, I’m a little rusty. Would you permit me some time to practice before that happens?"

Kate laughed softly and nodded, "Of course. But I honestly would love to hear you play. I’m sure you’re a lot better than you think."

She really was interesting.

"So, what are you two kids up to?" If Richard could have gotten away with cringing at the sound of Jimmy Nesbitt’s Irish accent, he would have.

The Irishman grinned as he unceremoniously flopped into the chair on the other side of Kate. In turn, Kate pulled back and leaned back in her seat, smiling as Jed and Graham joined their table as well. "We’re just having lunch, but by all means, if you intend to join us," she said.

Jimmy laughed, "Don’t mind if I do, lass. Thought we’d come save you from the likes of Richard."

Richard sighed and rolled his eyes and Kate shook her head, "I don’t need saving from Richard, thank you. We were actually having a very lovely conversation before you butted in."

"Oh? And what were you talking about?" Graham asked, shooting a smirk at Richard.

But he missed it as Kate looked up at him and gave him such a lovely smile, he didn’t mind staring.

"Music."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who's reading, has left kudos and commented on this story. I love the response and it's helped a lot!! <3

**\- 3 -**

_March 2011_

Fall Out Boy was blaring in her headphones. Kate usually liked to listen to piano pieces when she was writing; it was like her hand moving across the page as she jotted notes mirrored the notes of the piano moving through her headphones. It was calm and soothing, just as much as when she listened to string quartets when filing paperwork. But today she was a little on edge, so she went for one of her favorite bands to bring her back to rights.

Filming was set to start next week and everyone was itching for it, from the interns to the producers - getting The Hobbit started was creating such a buzz, it was getting a bit difficult to keep everyone in line. Kate’s nights at the office started to get longer. All week, the main actors along with a few of the set workers, Peter, Matthew and Kate had been blocking scenes, specifically Bag End. It was a long process as they had so many different entrances and lines and so many dwarves to differentiate…

Kate put her pen down on her notes and leaned back, rubbing her temples with her fingers. Glancing at the clock, she groaned. 7:30 p.m. She could use a nice glass of wine and a back rub at the moment.

There was a light knock on her door and slightly startled, Kate looked up to see Richard standing halfway in her office, two mugs in his hands. "I'm not interrupting am I?" he asked politely.

Kate couldn't help but smile at him as she paused her music and pulled out her headphones. She and Richard had a sort of friendship that developed since everyone started to gather at Stone Street. They would often have lunch together and talk about everything from music to books to theater. He was always great for discussion and Kate felt very comfortable with him, something she'd never felt with an actor before.

And he always had a fantastic knack of showing up at the exact moment she wanted company.

"Not at all. Your timing is perfect. I was about to rip my hair out," she answered, gesturing to the chair in front of her desk. "What do you need?"

It was habit, part of the job, to assume an actor only visited her because they needed something. She didn't mind, but the look that clouded Richard's face made her regret she had said the words.

He walked up to the desk and set the mugs down, carefully maneuvering one over to her. "I didn't come here to ask for anything. Just to see you." That deep, incredible shiver-inducing voice of his was low and controlled; not angry or annoyed, but curious.

Kate swallowed hard and didn't answer. Instead she looked down at the cup. "What's this?" she asked softly.

"You looked exhausted earlier on set. I thought you could use a warm cuppa," he answered with a kind smile as he took his seat.

Kate looked at him in a little awe. She was very used to taking care of others, especially the actors she worked with. She had never had one pull a role-reversal on her.

Richard was staring at her, his brow knitted together in the middle of his forehead as his blue-grey eyes surveyed her. "If I overstepped..."

Kate felt her cheeks flush, "Oh no, no. I'm just shocked. No one ever visits me here, let alone brings me tea." She picked up the cup, warming her hands and took a sip, sighing contently, "Thank you, Richard. This was much needed."

He smiled at her praise and they drank in companionable silence for a moment. Richard was staring at her, but she chose to ignore it. Otherwise a delicious tingle would go down her spine and she didn’t need that.

"You said no one visits you here. No one ever comes by your office then, for anything?" Richard broke the silence smoothly.

She took a deep drink and shrugged, "Maybe Peter or Matthew but other than that, no. I tend to blend in," she said with a soft grin. "I don't even think anyone noticed how many times I yawned today."

"I did," Richard said simply.

The two looked at one another and that tingle Kate worried about earlier raced down her back and settled in her stomach. Kate broke the gaze first and looked down at the cup of tea warming her hands. “So, did you finally come up with a backstory for your shorter beard, Thorin?”

That broke the tension. Richard smiled and scrubbed a hand over his short beard, the scraping sound doing something funny to her. She crossed her legs and attempted to concentrate.

“Ah, well then, let me spin the tale for you,” he said in his deep voice and then moved his chair around her desk to sit closer to her. If she thought that silly little tingle couldn’t get worse, she was completely wrong. He leaned toward her and took on a mysterious air as he explained his story to her; how when the dwarves of Erebor were chased from their mountain home, they emerged from the halls with their beards singed by the dragon’s fire. So in memory of the suffering and exile, Thorin keeps his beard short, until he reclaims Erebor.

He was a fantastic storyteller and Kate couldn’t help but listen and watch him, as if his voice wove a spell around her. She couldn’t tell if he was in character, being him or just playing up the moment, but it was completely working for her. When he finished, she was still staring at him with a little smile.

“What’s that look, then?” he asked softly.

Kate cleared her throat and shrugged, “I’m sorry, I just … you’re very interesting.”

He chuckled at her response and then looked at her sheepishly, “It’s a bit foolish, yeah?”

“Oh no, no not at all. I think it’s brilliant,” she answered truthfully.

Another pause made Kate start thinking they were getting better at pausing and staring at one another the more time they spent together. Richard cleared his throat and smiled, “So, are you going to the impromptu get-together Rob and Aidan have announced for this evening at a club downtown?” he asked.

“Oh,” Kate said, frowning a bit. “I wasn’t aware there was one. It’s probably just for you guys.”

“No, Aid told me he had invited practically everyone. I’m surprised he didn’t say anything to you.” He was studying her and after she gave no response, he ran a hand over his beard again, “Well I’ll be attending and I believe many others will be there as well.”

Kate picked at the corner of her binder, “I don’t know … I wouldn’t exactly feel comfortable just showing up if Aidan didn’t invite me.”

“Well then, I’m inviting you,” Richard stated adamantly, causing her to look up at him again. “You should come, Kate.”

His eyes were soft and almost pleading. “Okay. I’ll be there.”

~*~*~*~

“I just wish Aidan had said something to me,” Kate bemoaned, plucking at the pillow in her lap. She was sitting in the front room of Anne Marie’s flat as her friend and co-worker was getting ready for the party. She had drove over there as soon as she and Richard left Stone Street and spilled the whole encounter, not knowing why the fact he visited her with a cup of tea set her on edge.

“Everyone is going, I suspect he just mentioned it to a few people and told them to spread the word, don’t worry about it,” Anne Marie said from the loo. “And I don’t know why it’s such a big deal that Richard visited you. It’s sweet.”

Kate pursed her lips and hugged the pillow closer to her chest, “It’s a big deal because no one visits me. Not even you do, Anne. You always call me out of my office. It was … odd.” She sighed, “Plus he brought me tea.”

“Awww,” Anne Marie cooed as she stuck her smiling face out the door. “That’s so sweet.”

Kate groaned and put the pillow to her face, “I’m in uncharted waters here, Anne. I don’t know what to do.”

Anne Marie left the bathroom and pulled the pillow from her face, “Go to the party. Meet with Richard.”

“I can’t go to the party,” Kate said, her nose scrunched as she tried to pull the pillow back up to hide her face. “Ugh, he won’t even have time to talk to me and you’ll hook up with a hot extra or something and then I’ll be there with no one to talk to.”

Anne Marie threw the pillow across the room. “Richard will talk to you,” she said firmly, “Honey, he invited you. He wants you there. Probably wants you in lots of other ways too,” she suggested, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Kate scoffed and crossed her arms, “That’s absurd. I mean … he’s … he’s Richard Armitage! Plus he’s very much older than me. Like, 15 years. What in the hell would he want with me?”

Anne Marie shrugged, “You two are always talking, always chatting about. What wouldn’t he want with you?”

Kate groaned again, “I hate when you do that, answer questions with questions. It’s ridiculous, Anne Marie. Richard… he’s … he’s smart and classy. God, the man plays cello and quotes Tolkien! I blare Ke$ha on the drive home and chew my nails for Christ’s sake. He’s far too sophisticated to look at me in any other way than a coworker.”

Anne Marie stared at her for a minute, as if assessing her. A wide chesire-cat grin came to her face then. “Ah, so you are smitten on him?”

Kate’s eyes went wide, “Wha… I am not!” She then took a deep breath to calm herself. “No, I am not smitten on him.”

Her friend raised an eyebrow. Kate rolled her eyes, “I may just be watching all his shows and have North & South on repeat on Netflix.”

Anne Marie just laughed and stood, heading back to the bathroom, “It’s alright to be head over for him, Kate. Just look at him! Plus that voice… wow.” Kate rolled her eyes, but Anne Marie continued, “But … you probably should be careful. You know what my mum always told me when I got smitten over older gents?”

Kate pursed her lips, “What did she say?”

Anne Marie’s head popped back out of the bathroom and she tapped her nose, “Always mind the gap, dear one.”

~*~*~*~

He was not watching the door. No, Richard would admit quite firmly that he was not watching the door, waiting for someone to make an appearance. So naturally, his back was turned when Kate made her way into the packed club with her friend, Anne Marie. He would have missed them entirely if they hadn’t walked right past him.

They didn’t notice him, of course, but he caught Kate’s American accent clearly.

“I feel silly in this dress, Anne Marie,” she had whispered and Richard could hear the worry in her voice. He turned his head slightly, his eyes raking over her frame. She was wearing a simple, but elegant black dress which ended mid-thigh, the zipper up the back set in a teal color strip of fabric. His eyes continued down, over her long legs, set off by a simple pair of beige pumps. Absolutely gorgeous and far from silly.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Anne Marie said in response. “It’ll be worth it when he sees you. Trust me.”

Who the he was, Richard wasn’t sure. He wanted to turn and catch them - tell her she was absolutely beautiful and then ask who this “he” was - but she had already disappeared in the crowd by the time he turned completely. He sighed softly and went back to the conversation he was in, but he couldn’t help but continue to look about the room to find her. The music was getting louder as more people packed in the bar.

Richard eventually ended his conversation and slipped through the crowd, looking for Kate. Stopping by the bar for another glass of wine, he leaned back against the bar to survey the crowd. A few more people from the crew and the cast came by and stopped to have short conversations with him. But he still couldn’t see Kate.

He was starting to get worried she might have left already or worse, was talking to Aidan or some other co-worker and would be tied up for the rest of the night. But the slight panic ebbed when he finally caught sight of her standing in the middle of the crowd alone, looking around. He drank slowly, watching her worry on her lower lip and twisting her hands in front of her. She turned and took two steps back toward the door, then stopped. Slowly, her body turned in a circle as if she was looking for someone. A long minute past before Kate took a deep breath and squared her shoulders.

She was going to leave, he thought vaguely, and quickly turned back to the bartender for two more glasses of wine. He slipped through the crowd easily and lost sight of her for a heart-stopping second before he caught sight of the strip of teal down her back. She was heading toward the door, that was obvious now. He didn’t think he’d catch her in enough time, but she halted to a stop to allow some people to pass in front of her. Richard drew in a deep breath before coming up right behind her.

“Can I interest you in some wine?” he said as smoothly as he could

Kate jumped slightly and turned toward him. Once her eyes recognized him, she gave him a relieved smile. “Richard, I didn’t even see you,” she said.

“I definitely saw you.” The words left his mouth before he could stop them. So he added, “You look absolutely lovely,” before he bent down and kissed her cheek and handed her a glass of wine.

When he pulled back to see her face, Richard felt pleased to see her cheeks flushed, “Thank you. You look pretty dapper yourself. This look really works for you,” she answered and she reached up with her small hand, her fingertips moving along his bearded jaw.

Richard felt like his heart stuttered to a stop and a warm feeling of lust pooled in his stomach. It had been a very long time it seemed since a woman had done something like that, something fairly intimate. It also had been a very long time since a woman made him feel like a teenager fumbling over his words. His throat was dry when her eyes looked up to him. Kate let out a soft, “Oh!” and quickly drew her hand back.

“I -- I’m sorry. That was awkward,” she said softly, almost appalled.

Richard wanted to snatch her wrist quickly, gently, as she drew away and pull her back closer to him. Instead he swallowed hard and managed a light chuckle, “No, it’s all right.”

There was an awkward pause despite the words, however, so he took a deep breath. “I have to apologize. I saw you a few minutes ago, but had trouble getting to you straight away.”

Her gorgeous blue eyes were still wide and filled with what looked like disbelief. But no verbal response. Worried he had botched the night up already, Richard closed the space between them a bit more. “You weren’t leaving were you?” he asked softly.

Kate licked her lips - a delicious peachy pink - and sighed, “I lost Anne Marie and thought …” she trailed off and then put her free hand on her forehead, breaking eye contact with him. “I don’t know what I thought.”

He didn’t like seeing her uncomfortable or upset, so Richard gently reached up and took the hand she pressed to her forehead. “Well, I found you. And the wine you have is absolutely fabulous, I promise. Let’s go outside for some cool air and if you still feel so, I’ll get you a cab home?”

He watched as she pulled her lower lip between her teeth, worrying on it a bit and he wanted to kiss her and soothe the spot. After a few seconds, she nodded, “Okay.”

Richard smiled and intertwined their fingers, gently coaxing her toward a small balcony just across the room. He felt her fingers tighten around his as they moved through the people. So he squeezed back to give her some reassurance that everything was okay.

Once they were outside, the chilly wind nipping at them, Richard closed the door and they found a blissful quiet punctuated occasionally by the noise of the city around them. Kate let out a breath filled with relief and then took a long drawl from her wine glass.

“I dare say, this is so much better,” she murmured.

“I’m glad,” Richard said softly, leaning forward against the railing and watching her.

She was breathing deeply, obviously to calm whatever thoughts raced through her mind. She then finished off the wine in one big drink. She still looked a bit out of sorts, so he stood up straight and took a chance to step closer and offered her his glass as well.

Kate laughed and took that as well, “A great sacrifice for a wine lover.”

“It’s quite worth it, I assure you,” he said, crossing his arms and smirking as he leaned back against the rail now.

She made her way half way through his glass before she let out a breath and looked over at him, “I’m sorry for that moment. I don’t do crowded places like that very well, at least not by myself.”

He couldn’t stop staring at her face as she was talking and then again drinking her wine. “Don’t apologize. What makes you so fearful?”

She pursed her lips and shrugged, “Not sure. Even in school I just … blended out of the crowd. Never felt safe in them.”

That made him curious. She stared up at the stars before she finished off the last of the wine. When Kate’s eyes looked over and caught his, the flush in her cheeks from the alcohol deepened. “You must think I’m silly.”

“No,” he said softly, shaking his head. “Just very interesting.”

Kate laughed at that, “I’m not really interesting at all, I promise.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

Her eyes widened, “You want me to tell you about me, then?”

It was now Richard’s turn to shrug, “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Well, I just …” she trailed off and closed her eyes, as if berating herself, and then gave him a soft smile when she met his gaze again. “Anne Marie says I have a very bad habit of believing the worst in myself.”

Richard gently touched her arm, “We all have those moments. But I would like to know more about you. We always talk of music, books, all kinds of different things. And I love that, Kate. But … I would love to know more about you as well. You’re just as an interesting topic as everything else.”

To that, she scoffed and wrapped her arms around her as the wind picked up a bit more. She then looked over at him with a very small smile, “You’re something else, Richard.”

Richard only smiled and unbutton his jacket, “And you’re cold, Kate. Here.” He slipped off his dinner jacket and draped it over her shoulders, encouraging her to put her arms through the sleeves.

She gave in to his request and then wrapped the jacket around her shivering frame. He tried to not notice as she attempted to stealthily turn her head and bury her face into the collar of his coat. Instead, he just watched out of the corner of his eye as she breathed in deeply and waited for her to start the conversation in her own time.

“I was very smart in school … well, I shouldn’t say ‘was’ because I’m probably just as smart still. Or at least I hope,” Kate rambled a bit and Richard grinned.

“You are very intelligent, Kate. And very lovely.”

She blushed. “I graduated top of my year, had scholarships and offers from schools all over the states. My mom thought I was going to be a doctor or a lawyer … or at least meet one at school and marry him.”

“But you didn’t want to do either?” he coaxed her along.

Kate sighed and pushed her black curls back, “Oh no, definitely not. In reality, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I loved books and reading; literature was a passion and hobby. I wasn’t too good at creative writing, but I tried my hand. However, nothing really … stuck.”

“So, after all the graduation parties and with all the money in the bank, I packed up a few things and got a one-way ticket to New Zealand. My mom,” she stopped and laughed softly, shaking her head. “Well, she said she had a heart attack, then she said she would never speak to me again and then she almost came to drag me back.”

“Sounds like she would be a good actress.” He tried for a bit of humor and was glad that it worked.

Kate giggled, “I don’t know, she’s originally from the south, so she’s definitely got the diva part down. Anyway, I had no idea where to start, not even enough money for a flat. It was luck, pure and simple, that I walked into a cafe where Anne Marie was working at the time. She was studying film at a local uni and waitressing at the cafe.”

She paused to turn and walk over to the small bench to take a seat. Richard thought she wanted a little space so he stayed put. “I ended up sobbing at the counter about how stupid I was to just fly to the end of the world. Luckily, Anne Marie had a soft spot for my plight. She offered me the other room in her flat and talked the manager of the cafe into hiring me.”

“She took it upon herself to help me ‘find myself.’ It was her idea to just drive around Wellington until fate showed me what my purpose in life was.”

Richard gave a slight chuckle, “Bet that was interesting.”

Kate grinned, “Funny thing was that it worked. We were driving by Stone Street and I slammed on my brakes, nearly got us hit. But I got out of the car that instant and watched with a few other tourists as the crew bustled about inside. I was completely fascinated. So … I kept coming back and waiting outside the studio for three days, trying to talk to Peter.”

“You’re kidding?” he asked.

She giggled again, “Nope. The third day, he asked the guard how long I had been there, and then I was escorted into his office. I was so terrified, but completely honest with him. Next thing I knew, he said he would hire me in to do odd jobs and learn about the studio. ‘Ask questions, my dear, and you might find out where you want to be,’ he said and next thing I knew, I was shadowing the assistant directors.”

She burrowed into his jacket more, “I was a 2nd 2nd AD along with Anne Marie on King Kong. Then Peter wrote me recommendations, made some calls and I was back in the states, jumping studios in California. I owe him a lot for what he’s done.”

“Well and credit to you for going for what you wanted. It shows a lot of bravery,” Richard added softly.

Kate scoffed, “No, I’m not brave. More foolhardy, like a Took I think.” She gave him a small, sad smile.

Curious, Richard pursed his lips. “How did your mother, the diva, take this career choice?”

The sadness stayed in her eyes as the smile faded and he realized he had hit what she was keeping down. “Um, not too well. There were lots of fights. Lots of guilt thrown my way.”

“Why wouldn’t she just be happy for you? Especially if you’re happy?”

She shook her head, “You have to understand … I spent my whole life doing what she wanted.” She left it at that and Richard realized it was a topic she wasn’t ready to unveil to him. Yet.

Richard felt a hard tug at his heart and crossed the balcony, taking the seat next to her. She drew in a shaky breath and when she looked back up at the stars, he saw tears reflecting in her eyes.

“My mother, she thinks success in life is gauged by whether you can keep a man or not. Moving to New Zealand didn’t exactly fall in line with that.” Her voice was choked as she spoke, but she held strong.

Richard reached out and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, “That’s why you work so hard? To keep in people’s good graces? Because you feel like you’ve let her down?”

She nodded and drew in a shaky breath, “Pleasing people for a living works pretty well for me, yeah?”

He shook his head and held her closer, “You don’t do that; you help people and they in turn appreciate that. Peter was right, Kate, you’re like the glue that keeps us all bound and working. You’re much more than just some girl bending over backwards for everyone.”

She didn’t respond to that and he gave her the moment she obviously needed to gather herself. The traffic around them was just a soft murmur still and the music inside was thumping against the wall at their backs. It was pleasant, the muffled sounds. Richard could hear Kate’s soft breathing and the feeling of her warmth against him was very nice indeed.

“That’s probably the first time I actually sat down and willingly blurted a story to anyone other than Anne Marie,” Kate broke the silence softly. “Not a lot of people like to listen to me, I think.”

“I do,” he admitted, pressing his lips against the top of her head. “I love to listen to you.”

She pulled back a bit to look up at him, a beautiful blush tinting her cheeks again. “I can’t figure you out, Richard Armitage.”

“Is that a bad thing?” he asked, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

“No … no, not at all,” she replied softly. “Just really interesting is all. You’re interesting. Completely and utterly interesting.” The look in her eyes held him completely still; he even held his breath as she reached out again, running her slender fingers along his jaw. He felt like closing his eyes and nuzzling into her touch, but just as before, she snatched her hand back.

When Richard looked at her, she was blushing and ducking her gaze from his. “I’m sorry. I’m not usually completely out of my mind like this. I don’t know what’s…”

He couldn’t take it. The need to kiss her was too strong after she once again had touched his face. Richard’s fingers gently encircled her wrist and pulled her back to him. His lips met hers and for a heart-stopping second, she froze against him. Christ, he had to go and do that, didn’t he? Probably terrifying her.

Richard pulled back slowly, gauging her expression. She looked slightly panicked, but as he started to pull away more to give her space, Kate leaned back into him, her fear disappearing from her eyes. The look on her face now told him everything he needed to know.

He leaned back in and gently kissed her, giving her a chance to pull away. But Kate leaned into him and timidly moved her lips against his. Her body moved slightly to pressed into him more, which chased away any chill from the air he might feel. Slowly, he let go of her wrist and cupped her face with one hand, the other fitting against her hip. Kate responded hesitantly, one hand pressing against his chest right over his heart and the other slipping around his neck.

The kiss was slow, languid. Richard was too concerned about pushing her too much, so he just allowed himself to enjoy this timid kissing, hoping she would gradually let go of her nerves and kiss him earnestly. When that didn’t happen however, he resigned to it and pulled back, trying very hard not to appear disappointed.

She swallowed hard and her eyes fluttered open but stayed on his mouth, her fingers curling into the hair at the back of his neck and around the tie he wore. That was an encouraging sign.

“It’s been awhile since someone’s kissed you properly?” He meant it to be a question but it came out as a rather blunt statement.

And the completely wrong thing to say. Kate started to pull back immediately, her blush one of embarrassment now. “I’m that bad?” she whispered.

Richard shook his head and held her tight against him, “No. No, not at all Kate. It’s…” He took a deep breath and used the hand cupping her cheek to tilt her chin up and her eyes to meet his. “It’s just a shame. You should be kissed every day, several times a day and very thoroughly.”

She swallowed hard and blinked, taking a moment before she said, “Oh … is that so?”

“Yes,” he responded immediately and confidently because for Christ’s sake, it was the damn bloody truth. “And, if you are not opposed to the idea, I’d be very glad to help remedy that for you.”

Richard leaned in toward her again and she just closed her eyes. When he kissed her upper lip, her mouth opened just the slightest in invitation for him to continue. He took it of course and this time, Kate didn’t hold back. Her hand curled in his hair and he pulled her up, pressing her flush against him as much as he could manage in the cramped space they were in.

Kate pushed against him more though, as if she couldn’t get close enough, which was more than okay with Richard. Her mouth moved with more certainty now, tugging his mouth open as well and deepening the contact. He hummed against her mouth, his body feeling like a live wire as her nerves gave way and he properly kissed her.

After a few minutes of snogging - which Richard would have been happy to do all night as the slow, delicious burn in his stomach was actually quite pleasurable if he had to admit - she pulled back and rested her forehead against his.

“I -- I can’t,” she whispered, her voice as breathless as he felt.

When she said that, however, Richard leaned back, utterly confused. Kate licked her lips and raked her fingers through his hair, and down his neck. “It’s just, we’ve had a couple drinks and this is romantic and I’m wearing this nice dress…”

Still confused, but feeling all was not lost as she still clung to him, Richard kissed her cheek, “So?"

“So,” she repeated as her eyes fluttered shut and he kissed her other cheek. “In the morning, none of this will matter. You’ll go back to not seeing me…”

“Kate,” he said slowly, his tone low and making her eyes open. He brushed a hand across her cheek, “I always see you. I promise you that.”

She once again closed her eyes and he could see already that her nerves were back and her walls up.

“Good night, Richard,” she breathed, leaning forward and kissing his cheek. She then stood and slid off his jacket, handing it back to him. He nodded and took it, not wanting to push his luck anymore.

Kate took a step toward the door and stopped, looking back at him. He hoped she had changed her mind. But after a moment, she sighed and slipped back into the party.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a tad NSFW. Just so you know.

Kate was exhausted. After she left Richard on the balcony of the club, she hurried out and caught a cab home. It wasn’t hard; Anne Marie was off flirting and Kate hadn’t really talked to anyone, so no one would miss her slipping out the door. When she reached her flat, she scrubbed the makeup off her face, brushed out her hair and pulled off the dress.

Afterward, she laid in bed and stared at her ceiling, the scene with Richard on the balcony repeating over and over in her mind.

Ugh, the man was a fantastic kisser. Just remembering it made her tingle all over again, from her head to her toes. He hadn’t pushed her either, even though she was absolutely petrified the first time he pressed his mouth against hers. She couldn’t remember the last time a man had kissed her. And it was time out of mind since the last time she had been kissed so thoroughly she melted from the inside out.

Sleep would not claim her that night; every time she closed her eyes, she felt his lips - firm but easy - against her mouth, his hand cupping her waist, his warm body pressing into hers, the smell of him lingering on her clothes and skin after she left.

She had no idea what this meant. Well, other than Anne Marie was right in her very quirky, observant way. Nevertheless, it had been years since she dated anyone and she never flirted with cast members - or at least not in a romantic way, which when she thought about it now, was a little silly way to think about it.

But Kate liked Richard. She liked him a whole damn lot. And now she liked kissing him too. Which was problematic at best and … well, she didn’t want to think about at worst.

When her 8 a.m. call came the next day and she opened the door to her office in the AD portacom, things definitely got worse.

Sitting on her desk was a large arrangement of absolutely gorgeous flowers. No one had ever bought her flowers before - except her sixth grade class had chipped in to buy flowers for her when her grandma died. She didn’t really think that counted.

Kate stood stunned in the doorway for a full thirty seconds, her hand on the handle of the door and her eyes unwavering from the flowers. Finally, she shook her head clear and called out for Anne Marie, having to clear her voice twice before she was heard.

“Goodness Kate, what is … Oh,” Anne Marie halted beside her and the two just stared at the flowers.

“Well I’ll be,” Anne Marie finally broke the silence. “Wait, who are they from?”

Kate shook her head, “I have no clue whatsoever.”

Anne Marie’s mouth dropped open. “What in the bloody hell, Kate have you not went over and seen who brought you flowers yet?”

“Of course not! I’ve never had flowers before, so I’m kind of a bit shocked here, thank you,” Kate responded a bit gruffly, crossing her arms. “What if there is no note or anything?” she added softly after a moment.

Anne Marie grinned and headed into the room, “Oh, there is a note my dear. The person who bought you these wants to make sure you know who’s handy work it was.”

Kate worried on her bottom lip as her friend sauntered over to her desk and looked over the flowers a bit. After moving around the vase and looking at different angles, Anne Marie let out a small sound of triumph. “Ah, here we are dear.”

Kate, however, didn’t budge.

“Oh come on, I’m not going to read it for you. This was meant for you,” Anne Marie said in an exasperated tone.

Kate sighed and stalked over, snatching the card from her friend’s hands. Anne Marie just grinned at her knowingly and Kate had an overwhelming urge to tell her to shut it, but instead, turned away. Her finger slid under the seal of the envelope and once it was open, she tugged out the small card.

She read over it once, twice … she even turned it over, looking for more on the back and then looked in the envelope again.

“Well, what’s it say then?” Anne Marie asked and Kate turned, again worrying on her lower lip as she watched her friend smell the flowers.

Kate cleared her throat and read the words of the loopy handwriting. “These flowers are for the beautiful woman I see every day. The one who stealthy hides Aidan’s cigarettes when he tries to bring them on set. Who makes sure Ian’s glasses are always within an arm’s reach. The one who is always filling up Pete’s cuppa when he’s not looking. I see you, Kate.”

A silence filled the office when she was done and Anne Marie stood straight and gently pushed the vase away from her. “Well, that’s pretty creepy.”

“No,” Kate shook her head, reading over the note again, the words from her conversation with Richard filing through her head for the umpteenth time. “No, it’s not.”

Anne Marie crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, “You know who they’re from then?”

Oh yes she did. And her heart raced more than it should and she was already fighting to keep a wide grin from her face.

This was so, so, so problematic now.

~*~*~*~

Days have this uncanny ability to stretch on longer when you’re tired. That’s what Kate found as the day kicked into full swing. Final approvals for costumes and makeup, then checking with the props department and set design. After that, she had been stuck on K stage scribbling notes, working with the script supervisor on making sure they cataloged all of Peter’s ramblings and helping get the actors to their appropriate place for the blocking.

Then she had to go back to the portacom to file paperwork, work out her notes and lay everything out for the next day. By the time she closed the door to her office and locked the front door of the portacom, it was nearly 9:30 p.m .She was starving and the chilly wind had her dying for a nice, warm cup of tea.

Once she had securely locked the door, Kate heaved the strap of her bag up and turned to head toward her car. It took her three steps before she noticed Richard walking in the same direction. They smiled at one another and she changed her direction just slightly so their paths met. Richard stopped when she came up to his side, “Hello, Kate.”

“Hi,” she said, completely exhausted but still happy to see him. They hadn’t had much time to talk during the day so she had not thanked him for the flowers.

He didn’t prompt the conversation further, and so she shifted uneasily on her feet. “I just…” she stopped and made herself take a deep breath, trying to avoid being utterly awkward. “Thank you for the flowers this morning. They were absolutely lovely.”

Richard’s smile brightened. “You’re very welcome.” He looked her over as she adjusted the strap of her heavy bag and knitted his brow. “You look absolutely exhausted. Can I take your bag?”

Kate bit her lower lip and shook her head, “No, it’s okay. And it’s just been a long day.”

That didn’t ease the concerned look on his face. “Have you had anything to eat yet this evening?”

Again, she shook her head as she reached up to tuck a curl of hair that had escaped her bun back. “Been busy.”

He nodded at that, understanding her job was fairly demanding. After a moment, he took a step closer to her and rubbed his hands up and down her arms to fight against the chill of the late night air. “Would it be too much of me to ask if you would like to join me for some dinner?”

Kate didn’t even hesitate, which really surprised her. “I would love that, actually.”

With a smirk, Richard reached forward and took her bag from her shoulder, despite her protest. “Are you in the mood for anything in particular?”

Her brain - so fuzzy with hunger and exhaustion - wanted to blurt out curling up in his lap with a carton of ice cream would do her just fine, thank you very much. Luckily, she still had enough of her rationality to bite her tongue. “I honestly am open to whatever. Maybe the Tai place down the street since it’s closer?”

“But packed with all the lingering crew members.” Richard chuckled softly and opened the passenger side door of his car for her. “Do you mind someplace quieter? There’s a little place a few blocks from my flat I’ve been looking to try. Do you mind?”

Kate shook her head as she slipped inside, “No, not at all.”

The drive to the restaurant was comfortable and Kate felt herself offering up smiles to Richard more than she had all day long. The conversation was easy, as it always had been with them, and the warm, personable space in the vehicle was intoxicating after a long day.

And he was right; the quiet seclusion and privacy of the cafe were welcomed. It afforded the two of them the luxury to talk and laugh quietly, sharing more stories of each others’ lives and getting to know one another as people do during dinners together. But there was always that underlying tension there as well; the want Kate had to kiss him again, to taste the wine they were drinking on his lips, to feel his warm hands on her again.

Too soon for her liking, the wine bottle was emptied and their delicious food devoured. Richard ordered dessert and broke no refusal. It was the most delicious cheesecake she had ever had, so she didn’t complain too much. As she closed her eyes and savored the last bite, trying to keep from moaning her approval of the dessert, she opened them to find Richard staring at her, something in his gaze that made her heart jump.

He paid for the dinner, which she tried in vain to prevent, and as midnight crept closer, they headed back to her flat. She had no idea how she was going to get to the set the next day, but she could always take a cab, it wasn’t that big of a deal.

During the drive, she told him a story about when she and Anne Marie had to put on green suits during the filming of King Kong. He laughed, a warm, deliciously rich sound that resonated through the car and made her very happy she was able to make him laugh. As she continued to speak, he reached over and took her hand. She faltered a bit in her tale, but recovered quickly, watching as he rested their intertwined hands on his thigh.

It was hard to ignore the warmth of his body under their clasped hands, but Kate thought she made a fairly decent effort. When they pulled up outside of her flat, she smiled over at him, prepared to say goodbye there and not force him back out into the chilly evening. But Richard had other plans. His hand left hers - she immediately missed the feel of his palm in hers - and came around to open her door.

He escorted her up to her front door and then handed her heavy book bag back to her. Kate smiled and shouldered the bag, “Cheers. And thank you so much for dinner. You really shouldn’t have paid.”

Richard shrugged, “It was the least I could do for dragging you out when you wanted sleep.”

Kate laughed, “Fine, I won’t argue, especially as it was an amazing meal. But next time, I’m paying and I won’t have any arguments from you.”

He grinned, “Duly noted.”

A pause enveloped them and Kate wrapped her arms around her to ward off the chill. “I suppose I should let you get home.”

Richard reached out and ran his hands over her arms again. She smiled up at him and he returned the grin before he allowed one hand to brush a few more wayward curls back from her cheek. “You have not been kissed today, I believe,” he said softly, his voice gravelly and affecting her everywhere.

Kate licked her lips as she watched him watching her. Taking in a slow breath, she tried desperately not to sound like a flirt failure because in her short history of flirting, it never ended well. “Are you so sure about that?” she managed to get out softly, although not as sultry as she had hoped.

But Richard only gave her a smirk, dripping with sin and bad intentions, as he leaned in. “Oh, I’m very sure.” It was just a low whisper against her lips.

On instinct, her eyes fluttered shut and before her brain could come up with some witty response, he kissed her. The beginning was slow, testing ground as it had been the night before, and it left Kate aching for more. Lots more. Her hands went to his chest and her fingers curled around the edges of his leather bomber jacket. Richard’s warm palms cupped her face, tilting her just how he wanted her as he gently tugged on her bottom lip, asking for permission she wanted to give.

Kate parted her lips under his and pulled him closer, their hips hitting each other as she stood on tip-toe to meet him. He tasted like the warm, fruity wine they had with dinner and cheesecake. She couldn’t help it, she moaned softly against his mouth, enjoying the taste of him. Richard stepped forward, pushing her back against the door and his fingers slid back into her hair.

As quickly as it had begun, however, it ended. Richard pulled away just a fraction, allowing both of them to breath deep. Kate felt like her lungs were empty, but she didn’t care. She was exhausted and full, ready for sleep before another long day. But she wasn’t ready to let him go either.

Her hands went up over his shoulders, one palm pressed against the nape of his neck as the other pressed against his bearded jaw. Her legs felt like jelly, about to give out. But his hands moved down to her hips, holding her in place as if he knew her knees were about to go.

“Isn’t there usually coffee or tea after dessert? Or am I just making that up?” Kate heard the words leave her mouth all breathless and a little shaky. Her fingers slipped into his short hair as she rested her forehead against his. Oh yeah, she really didn’t want him to leave yet.

Richard chuckled a bit at her questions, his strong hands squeezing her sides gently as he pressed his lips against hers again. “Usually it’s coffee.”

Kate nodded and caught his mouth for another kiss. When they pulled back, she drew in an unsteady breath and pulled back a bit to smooth her hands down his broad chest. “I feel like it’s my duty then to offer you coffee, per British after-meal tradition. Since we didn’t have any at the restaurant.”

She looked up to gauge his reaction. He raised one eyebrow slowly and she could tell he was trying very hard to not grin. “Are you asking me inside, Kate?”

Kate swallowed nervously and then tip-toed up again, pressing a very chaste kiss on his lips before she answered softly. “Why don’t you come inside?”

He did not respond right away like she thought he would, nor did he kiss her again as a way to answer her question in the positive. Embarrassment flooded her a lot quicker than she would like to admit and she began to mentally curse herself for being too bold. She felt her cheeks flush and as she started to wonder how she could possibly salvage the moment now, Richard leaned down and pecked her lips.

“I would love to.” Four little words that set her heart fluttering.

She turned and opened the door, her body quite aware he was standing right behind her and about to make his way into her apartment. Thank God she had cleaned the day before and done the dishes. Otherwise, she would have made him wait outside for 10 minutes. At least until she had picked up her dirty laundry from the bedroom. Not that they would go into her bedroom but you never know …

As the door opened to her darkened living room, Kate forced her brain to shut up. She couldn’t handle all the rambling at the moment. The tension from their make out session on her front porch had ebbed somewhat, she thought and as she flipped on lights, she smiled over her shoulder at him. “Make yourself at home,” she said gently, taking off her jacket and hanging it up near the door.

Richard pulled off his jacket as well, revealing his nice dark gray button down tucked into his dark wash jeans. Jeans that hugged him in all the right spots…

Kate swallowed nervously and headed toward the kitchen, immediately beginning to brew some coffee.

“Do you care if I look around a bit?” Richard’s voice asked from the front room.

“No, not at all,” she answered, pulling out two mugs, spoons, sugar and cream just to busy her hands.

It didn’t take long for the coffee to get hot and as she poured the cups, he appeared behind her - she could feel the prickle of awareness on the back of her neck before his footsteps sounded on the wooden floor. His hands appeared on the counter on either side of her and she drew in a long breath as he pressed against her. She could feel his warm breath on her neck as he bent down and without thinking, she tilted her head to the side, inviting him to kiss her neck.

Richard obliged, putting one hand on her hip as he pressed his lips against her skin. She tingled from her head to toes and was glad she’d already put the coffee pot down.

“A dash of cream in mine, if you don’t mind, love,” he whispered along the column of her neck, his hand on her hip sliding across to spread over her stomach.

He was hardly touching her in an indecent way, but Kate felt like she couldn’t catch her breath. She dropped the spoon into the coffee cup and turned in his arms, coming face to face with him. There was no smirk or smile on his face, but his blue eyes were dark as they looked over her face.

“I don’t really want any coffee, do you?” she asked point blank, because fuck it all she couldn’t take it.

Richard shook his head, “No, that’s not what I want,” he answered, his palm now on her lower back, bunching the fabric of her shirt in his grasp, and his gaze on her mouth.

Kate licked her lips and nodded. For a second she had no idea what she was doing, but then did it really matter? She went up on tip-toe, her arms slipping around his neck slowly. He looked up into her eyes as she leaned in and tentatively kissed him, tugging a little on his bottom lip as she pulled back. Richard groaned deep in his throat, both of his strong arms wrapping around her and hauling her up against him.

She wasn’t sure how they made it into her living room, but he got them there and when he pulled away, both of them breathing heavily again, he slowly sat down and looked up at her. Clearly waiting for her to make the next move. Kate worried on her lower lip and Richard groaned again.

“Please come here so I may kiss you,” he said in a low, rumbling timber, his hand reaching out for hers.

Kate couldn’t help it. She smiled, the feeling of being wanted doing so many things to her, she couldn’t even begin to explain them. She stepped out of her flats and pushed them back, taking two more steps closer to him, her legs bumping against his bent knees. He reached forward and took hold of her hands, intertwining their fingers as he gave her a little tug, telling her again wordlessly he wanted her closer.

Swallowing her nerves, Kate moved, placing one knee on the couch next to his waist and then doing the same on the other side, straddling his lap. Hovering above him now, he tipped his head back to look up at her and she smiled, raking her fingers through his short hair.

Richard hummed his appreciation of the action, his hands fitting over her hips before sliding back and cupping her ass. A little gasp left her at the contact and then she pressed against him, bending down and kissing him. He gave no protests, his mouth opening under hers. These kisses were not rushed, but not timid at all - deep, tongues stroking as their bodies were locked together. Kate settled down on his lap, a little afraid to sit all of her weight on him. Richard coaxed her body down however, and then slipped a hand up her back to her neck.

With one palm pressing against her lower back, he gently pulled her hair free of the falling bun it was in, the waves cascading down her back. Her nails scraped gently across his scalp as his fingers dived into her hair.

“You smell fantastic,” he murmured against her lips. “Like … berries with just a bit of vanilla.”

She laughed softly against his lips and pulled back, loving the look of him dazed slightly and eyes dark. “Berries and vanilla?”

“Mmm,” was his only response as he reached up and cupped her cheek, his thumb gently swiping across her bottom lip. “Delicious.”

Heat flooded through her and she leaned back down, searing his mouth with another kiss. She wasn’t sure how long they were like that on her couch, teasing each other slowly with deep, heated kisses and slow moving hands. The feeling was intoxicating and Kate wasn’t sure she would be able to let him leave; she’d miss him too much.

Finally, she regretfully pulled away, resting her forehead against his and fiddling with the collar of his shirt. She felt drunk on his kisses and wasn’t too happy she stopped herself from indulging more. “I have early call in the morning,” she said regretfully.

Richard pulled in a deep breath, his hands moving down to her thighs and squeezing. “Yes, I’ve kept you too long already,” he conceded, his voice rough and scraping deep inside her.

They were silent for a few moments, her hands moving back to his neck and her fingers moving along the back of his head while his hands moved up and down her thighs still. She leaned forward a fraction, wanting another kiss and he obliged.

“You need sleep, love,” he said softly after they pulled away again.

She groaned in displeasure as he took a hold of her and stood, sitting her on her feet. She looked up at him again and he cupped her chin, taking another deep, lingering kiss from her.

Then just like that, he pulled away and left her swaying in the middle of her living room. He had his jacket on and a hand on the door before she had come back to herself enough to call out to him. “Richard,” she said, turning to see him looking at her with a soft expression.

“Would you… I mean, I would like it if you could come by for dinner tomorrow? I shouldn’t be late and was planning on cooking,” she managed to get out, hoping she didn’t sound like a complete dunce.

But Richard grinned and she felt warm all over. “Of course, Kate.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not really NSFW, but there are some suggestive themes.

Nerves didn’t even begin to cover what Kate felt the next day. They were there, always in the back of her mind and reared up every time she dared to think about that evening’s plans. However, the memories of dinner, of the car ride to her flat and the amazing makeout session in her living room would make her grin and banish any and all bad worries about the coming evening.

Not to mention the fact Richard continued to shoot her knowing little smiles all day, which only served to make her blush and duck her head. It made concentrating on her job so much harder.

The morning dragged until the dwarven company were sent to their respective makeup trailers to get in full costume. After a short and early lunch, they would be doing camera prep and photo shoots today, until 5, when they would then spend an hour to two hours back in makeup and costume to remove everything. Everyone was promised to be done by no later than 7 p.m. An early end to the day for most, including Kate. Which worked for her plans just fine.

After eating her lunch in her office quickly, and sending a few “I’m checking in with you” texts to her mom, Kate grabbed her schedule and headed to Richard, Aidan and Rob’s makeup trailer. Aidan hopefully was in costume as his makeup only took half the time of the others. If he wasn’t, she was going to rush all three of them there. Then the trio would report to sound stage A for their camera preps and tests.

Kate was just raising her hand to knock on the make-up trailer door when Aidan’s laugh and voice stopped her for some reason.

“Come on, Richard, you aren’t fooling us,” he said loud enough for her to hear through the cracked door.

“Aidan, do us all a favor and shut it,” Richard smooth tone answered and Kate wished she did know what it was Aidan referred too.

“Aww, I think you touched a nerve, Aid,” Rob chimed in now. “Because Richard wouldn’t be flirting with anyone on set. Too unprofessional.”

“Even if I was,” Richard interjected into the laughter smoothly, “The unprofessional and inconsiderate thing to do would be to brag about it.”

“I’m not bragging. I’m just saying that I may enjoy the private company of one of the script supervisors. And I’m just wondering if you’ve finally made a move on our dear AD Kate?” Aidan asked.

Kate felt her breath catch. Part of her wanted him to deny it wholeheartedly because she could, in the end, get in trouble for snogging one of the lead actors. Then again, a part of her wanted him to stake his claim … which God, how hot would that be? No, Kate, stop it…

She heard Richard draw in a deep breath, “I enjoy my conversations with Kate. She’s a very lovely woman and interesting. I like her company. Are you satisfied now?”

It was the safest response and Kate’s heart fluttered to hear him say, with sincerity, that he enjoyed their time together.

Aidan laughed, “If that isn’t a round-about, I have no idea what is.” He then added in a stage whisper to what she guessed was Rob, “You think they’ve gotten around to rutting yet or what?”

There was a bit of a scuffle and Aidan laughing. “Grow up,” Richard’s gruff voice sounded.

“So that isn’t the reason you’ve been all smiles today? Staring at Kate like she’s some fine glass of wine?” Rob chimed in.

Kate felt her heart jump; Richard didn’t answer.

“Oh it is, isn’t it? You’ve at least been snogging, I can tell,” Aidan laughed. “Nice job, Uncle.”

“Listen here you…,” Richard started, his voice taking an edge that made Kate rap her knuckles against the door and push her way into the trailer.

“Hey guys, we ready to go?” she looked around and saw Aidan grinning at her then looking to Richard who looked every bit of Thorin - gruff demeanor, hard stare …

“Aidan, what the hell, you aren’t in costume,” Kate chastised.

Aidan shrugged, “Got distracted.”

She sighed, “All right, come on, all three of you then,” she said exasperated, motioning to the door.

Rob and Aidan stood at the command, filing out of the trailer door. When they were gone, Richard stood slowly, towering over her. “Kate…”

“Come on, we’re already going to be late because of Aidan,” she interrupted him, her voice not as strong as she would have liked. She then gave him a shaky smile.

But he wasn’t having it. Chancing a glance at the door, he stepped up to press his body against hers and she gulped. His hands went to her arms as they had the night before, “How much did you hear?”

She played for innocence. “Hear? Of what?”

“Kate,” he started again, another chastising tone, but gentler, different from the gruff tone he had with Aidan just moments before.

“Let’s just … not make things awkward, okay?” she blurted, desperately needing to get him down to costume and to slow her heartbeat. “It’s fine, really.”

He shook his head, “But…”

“Come on,” she pressed again, giving him her best smile. “Work now, Thorin.”

At that, he gave in and nodded, letting her go and heading out of the door himself. Kate drew in a deep breath and followed, determined to get through this day and not think about how things might be botched up for their evening. God, if Aidan could just keep his mouth shut…

Camera tests went well. As soon as he was in costume, Richard was lost to the character of Thorin and Kate was able to do her job without distraction. The other ADs came in with their respective group of dwarves in good succession. Then the scale doubles arrived. Pictures ensued, lines rehearsed, notes taken, laughs shared. It was actually a great, relaxing afternoon. They wrapped right at 5, as promised, and Kate smiled, listening to Rob and Aidan chatting and joking as they walked in front of her back toward makeup, once again donning their street clothes.

She saw Richard come up to her side out of the corner of her eyes and looked over to direct her smile at him. He gave her a small smile in return, which was something to see as he still looked like Thorin. This made her chuckle softly, only causing Richard to grin brighter, and they continued on in companionable silence.

Once she deposited them back in the makeup trailer, she bid them all a good evening, her eyes lingering on Richard for a moment, and headed toward the door. As she passed Richard, she felt his fingers lightly brush her thigh and she turned back in the door briefly to catch the small smirk turning up the corner of his lips.

In her office, Kate worked through the remaining tasks for the day as quickly as she could manage. After touching base with Peter and Matthew, she packed up her stuff promptly at 7 p.m. and headed toward her car. As she tossed everything in the back seat, her phone chirped in her pocket. Kate dug it out and smiled as she saw it was from Richard.

**Going to run lines with Graham and Martin. Also in desperate need of shower. What time would you like me to arrive?**

Kate pulled her lower lip between her teeth, calculating in her mind cooking time. _How about 8:30? Everything will just about be done by then._

 **Will you need anything?** he responded back.

 _Some excellent wine for pasta_ , she typed out and just before sending, adding a smiling face.

**I can do that, love. See you soon.**

Kate pulled in a deep breath. She could handle this. It was just dinner, not anything else. And her and Richard were comfortable enough with each other, for Christ’s sake, they made out for almost two hours last night on her couch.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, told herself to calm down and then headed to her flat. After dumping all her stuff and washing up, she started in on her favorite dish, stuffed chicken valentino. Her grandmother had shown her the recipe a few years before she passed away and it had become one of Kate’s favorite comfort foods. Plus it was pasta, and Kate could never say no to pasta.

After she put together the chicken breasts and placed them in the oven to bake for an hour, she went to her bathroom and stripped, taking a needed hot shower. Another agonizing 10 minutes later and she pulled on a pair of dark skinny jeans and her favorite classic blue button-up oxford shirt. Part of her clothing dilemma continued for the simple trivial reason that she couldn’t decide on how many buttons to leave undone at the top, but after hearing her phone buzz, she curse aloud and left the top two undone.

She snatched her phone from the kitchen table and then checked the chicken. Satisfied with the delicious smell assaulting her, she checked her messages.

**On my way.**

Her heart jumped and her fingers shook as she typed out. _Ok. Hope you’re hungry :)_

**Famished. ;)**

Kate shook her head, smiling and went to do her hair. She didn’t bother with makeup; she was happy enough with her complexion after the shower and she felt she looked more refreshed and relaxed without it. But she did make sure to spritz the perfume she wore yesterday in a few extra spots.

She had just set up her iPod to play some soft classical music she happened to still have on it and dropped the pasta in the boiling water when there was a strong knock on her door. Mumbling a few words to herself to keep her wits about her, she wiped her hands off on a dish towel and padded toward the door, picking up her pace as the knock came again.

She opened the door and smiled brightly, her nerves dissipating a little at seeing him. “Hi,” she said softly.

“Hello, love,” Richard replied, stepping close to crowd her space. She gladly welcomed him, her arms moving around his waist as she tip-toed up to meet his lips in a tender kiss.

When they pulled apart, Kate took his free hand and pulled him into the warmth of her apartment. “Did you bring me what I asked for?” she asked with a smirk.

Richard chuckled and produced the bottle of white wine, “As the lady requested.”

She grinned and pecked his lips, snatching the bottle, which was already a bit chilled. “Off with your shoes and coat,” she commanded. “Make yourself comfortable. The food’s almost ready.”

He followed behind her after doing as she asked and watched as she pulled the chicken out of the oven and gave the noodles and sauce on the stovetop a stir. Leaning against the door frame of her small kitchen, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “It smells heavenly,” he remarked, his voice low and reverent.

Kate allowed her eyes to sweep over him, taking in his appearance. She was absolutely certain the man would look breathtaking in anything he wore. Tonight it was another pair of well-loved and well-fitted jeans and a dark navy, soft looking sweater which made her want to hug him close and nestle against him.

“It’s my grandma’s recipe. A very good recipe, I might add, so I hope you enjoy it,” she answered.

Richard, obviously not content to stand around and watch her complete their meal, helped her with the finishing touches and as she dished out the food, he opened and poured the wine. She felt a rush of relief when he took the first bite and groaned in pleasure. Actually, she smiled proudly. Her mother always said the first way to catch a man was with food…

The thought made her look down and take a deep breath. No. No, she wouldn’t think like that. She was not trying to snare Richard, she just wanted to get to know him, enjoy his company … let him kiss the breath from her whenever he wanted.

“This is amazing,” Richard said. “Your gran is a genius.”

Kate smiled softly and took her own bite, savoring the warm flavors and thinking how much her grandma would love Richard, with his easy smile, low voice and free compliments. “She would have loved to hear that. Compliments on her food always won her over.”

Her eyes glanced up and saw him watching her as he slowly took a drawl of his wine. When he set his glass down, he looked away. “When did she pass away?”

Kate drew in a deep breath, “Oh, it’s been a few years now.” She smiled and laughed a little bit. “You would have liked her. She was so funny, so loving. Always the life of the party til the end.”

Suddenly, she felt Richard’s warm palm cover her hand on the table. She looked up at him and he squeezed her hand. “How did the rest of your day go?” he asked after a moment and Kate had never been so happy to talk about something else in her life. His smooth transition made her want to thank him … or kiss him. Or both.

So instead of answering, Kate scooted her chair closer and put her free hand to his face, catching his attention. Richard looked at her with a bit of confusion, but she kept her course, leaning in and kissing him softly. She sucked on his lower lip a bit, causing his hand on hers to squeeze tightly. When she pulled back, a little breathless and the tones of Clair De Lune floating through the air, he smirked at her and reached up to brush some of her hair back.

“What was that for?” he asked, his voice catching a little.

Kate smiled and kissed him again for the hell of it. “Because you’re you. And I really like you.”

He chuckled softly - she could have sworn he even blushed a little too - and kissed her back, “I really like you as well.”

They got back to their dinner after that, but stayed close together, always touching in some way. They spoke of the first scenes they would film next week and Richard tried to talk her into going hiking with him soon. And then he started talking about his family, about himself and his past and Kate could do nothing except listen, fascinated.

“And I joined the circus,” he commented with a smirk, finishing off his wine and refilling the glass before topping off hers.

Kate’s eyes widened as she took the glass, “You’re lying.”

He laughed and shook his head, “I am not. It was a Hungarian circus. I travelled with them for about a year and a half.”

“What for?” she asked, genuinely curious.

Richard drew in a deep breath, settling back in his chair with his wine in one hand and the other taking her hand. He played with her fingers for a bit. “I felt restless. I didn’t know what I wanted … or rather, I did know, but I had no bloody clue how to go about it. So, I literally joined the circus. Quite on impulse I might add.”

Kate chuckled, shaking her head, “That’s … that’s amazing.”

“It was,” he nodded his agreement, smiling softly at the apparent memories that tumbled through his head. He rested their hands on his thigh, “I learned a lot; about working with others, about playing a part. I eventually went to acting academy, but there were just some things that I learned during that year no acting coach could produce.”

She nodded her agreement and took a big drink, “I told my mom that as well. She was big on me going to school, you know. But I think deep down I knew I wouldn’t ever be happy. I didn’t realize it until I started working for Peter at Stone Street.”

Richard ran his thumb over her knuckles, his eyes on their hands. “Two wayward souls who found their own way,” he said softly.

Kate squeezed his thigh, smiling before she stood and went to rinse their empty plates. “Would you like any coffee tonight?” she teased.

It got a soft chuckle from him, “No, no thank you.”

Once she sat the plates in the sink, she turned and walked back over to him. He smiled lazily at her, looking happy and content in her kitchen as he reached forward for her hand again. “Thank you for supper,” he said.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” she answered as she stepped closer. “I know it’s late but … you don’t have to leave just yet, do you?”

Richard tugged her until she stood between his legs and he tipped his head up to look at her, “Want me to stay do you?”

She felt a blush creep up her neck and across her cheeks as his thumb once again traced the knuckles of her hand. She had no idea what she was doing. She had never asked a man to stay over before, never tried to be coy and sexy. The more he looked at her, the more she felt her face flush. “I just don’t want you to feel rushed off or anything.”

“Ah, well then how do you suggest we continue this evening? Coffee has already been denied; what other scheme did you devise?” he asked, the warm smile still curling his lips.

Kate decided then that she loved this look on him; buzzed off the wine and looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing in the world. He sat his wine glass down and reached out with his other hand to place his palm on the back of her thigh. She knew then what she really wanted to do, but there was no way… She cleared her throat a little nervously.

“We could watch a movie maybe? I have a stack of DVDs that Anne Marie has commanded me to watch, but I haven’t even touched them yet,” she said shyly.

Richard’s warm palm moved up the back of her thigh, stopping just under the curve of her bum. “That sounds nice. I would love to stay a bit longer.”

She tugged him to his feet after he spoke and they paused a moment as he pressed flush against her and kissed her deeply. He was warm, so warm she wanted to snuggle against him and never leave. Her arms went around his waist and held him to her as he tipped her head back with his hands. She loved his hands; the warm, wide palms and long, lithe fingers. In her limited experience with men and love in general, Kate knew that hands did it for her. And Richard’s were scoring high marks.

After a few languid kisses, he pulled back and she took hold of one of his hands, eagerly dragging him back to the living room. For a movie, she told herself, even though her body told her she desperately wanted so much more.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definitely NSFW my friends. Proceed with caution. Also, happy new year :) xoxo

She felt loose limbed and relaxed, more so than she could ever remember. They had started the movie sitting up, Kate leaning against him, Richard’s arm thrown over the back of the couch. But eventually they stretched across the sofa, her body pressed back into his long frame nestling him between her and the sofa. One of his arms was pillowing her head, while the other draped heavily over her middle, his fingers playing with the edge of her shirt. 

“You’re not asleep are you?” he said softly in her ear, tickling her.

Kate bit down on her lower lip to keep from giggling and nestled back into him more. “No, I’m wide awake. You?” 

There was a low hum in his throat that she felt through his chest. Richard lifted his hand to brush back her long hair from her neck and pressed his lips against the spot where her neck met her shoulder. She shivered and unconsciously shifted against him. “Not with the way you keep moving against me,” he mumbled, his lips kissing and gently nipping up the column of her neck.

Kate swallowed hard, “Sorry. I can move up some if you want…” she started awkwardly, feeling embarrassed by the way her body reacted to him. She had never felt anything like this before and she suddenly was scolding herself about not talking to Anne Marie beforehand, even if it meant admitting that something was happening between her and Richard.

As she started to scoot forward to put some space between them, Richard’s arm went back to her waist, his palm on her stomach and pushing her back against him, closer than she was before. “Don’t you dare,” he chided with a hint of laughter in his voice. “I like you right where you are. Though,” He paused as his teeth nipped the spot just behind her ear, making her toes curl and her eyes flutter shut. “I could do with you being a bit closer.”

She let out a breathless noise and moved against him out of instinct - dammit! - which made him suck in a sharp breath. It was pretty obvious then why; he was hard against the curve of her backside. Her hand reached back, finding the back of his head as he continued to press his lips against her neck in various spots. She had no idea what to do with her other hand, bent at the elbow and just awkwardly in the air as if she was looking for something to grab a hold of. Which she was because she felt like she was losing rational thought. 

Before she could think on it for too much longer, Richard’s fingers were on the back of her palm and then sliding through her fingers, intertwining them. Kate was rooted to him; his one hand gripping hers, her body nestled very closely up against his, his other palm anchoring her to him. Warmth rushed through her and puddled in her stomach, lower…

“Are you alright? With this, I mean,” Richard’s voice was against her skin, making her tingle from head to toe, but it sounded hesitant, as if he was afraid he was pushing some boundary. 

Kate actually didn’t know if she was okay, but what she did know was that she didn’t want to stop. She swallowed hard, feeling parched and nodded. “Ye--yeah, I’m good.”

“Just good?” he asked, the teasing tone back, his body relaxed against hers. She felt stiff and unsure of what to do. She was enjoying him sucking and nipping at her neck, but...

She pursed her lips and nodded again, “Yeah,” she said absentmindedly, but when his mouth stilled, she suddenly was stumbling over her words. “I mean, I -- I could be better, definitely.”

Richard sat up a bit to look down at her and Kate sheepishly opened her eyes to find him looking at her not with disappointment or anger, but concern and worry. “Kate, is something the matter?”

She quickly shook her head, desperate to appease him and get him to go back to what he was doing. She wanted things to go further … just so long as he took his time so she would be able to take things as they came at her. Her hand moved from around his neck to skim her fingers along his jaw and she smiled as warmly as she could. “No, nothing is wrong.”

His hand stayed firmly on her torso, but she felt like he was pulling away. “You know we don’t have to do anything if you really don’t feel comfortable…” 

“Who said I’m not comfortable?” she interrupted, feeling her embarrassment take hold. Foolish; she had been a foolish girl to assume she could go through with this as smoothly as she wished.

His face pinched in a frown she had seen him use to scold Aidan like a five-year-old. To see it now directed at her made her feel very small. “You’re as stiff as a board … I don’t want to push you, but I’m getting mixed signals here, Kate.”

She sighed and turned her face away, feeling her heart seize. She should ask him to leave, now, before things got any worse. She had already flubbed the evening up by not letting go and trusting him. It would be good of her now to do all she could to salvage what was left.

“Have you… have you never…,” he started cautiously and Kate didn’t need to be a genius to figure out what he was insinuating. 

Embarrassment coursed through her, as he was partially right in his assumption and she hated herself even more for the fact that she couldn’t lie about it properly. So, instead, she got angry and pushed against him, standing and wrapping her arms around herself. “Of course I have! I’m 25 years old, what 25-year-old has never …” 

Goddammit, she couldn’t even say the word sex out loud; if that wasn’t an admission, she didn’t know what in the hell was.

She expected Richard to be angry or upset with her. But instead, he sat up, his face softened. “It’s not an insult, Kate, to be a virgin.”

She scoffed and headed to the kitchen. There were dishes to be done and Richard could very well see himself out, she thought. As she started to run water into the sink, she waited to hear the heavy thud of the door closing. That’s what happened the last time she chickened out on a guy. He was a grip on King Kong and told her she was a damn heartless tease and didn’t speak to her for the rest of the filming. The thought of Richard doing the same made tears come to her eyes.

“Kate.” 

Kate jumped at the low sound of his voice and looked over quickly to see Richard standing awkwardly in the doorway, a nervous, yet worried look set in his handsome features. “I’m sorry,” he said when she looked at him. “I -- I shouldn’t have assumed like that.”

She shut off the water and sighed. “And I guess I should have told you or something, right?”

“No,” he said adamantly. “That’s information about yourself you can share with whomever you like. Whomever you think is worthy.” Richard dropped his head and his shoulders heaved with the big breath he took. “I … was worried I was pushing you into something you didn’t want.”

“I do want. Good God, I hate how everyone always assumes virgins are terrified little girls. I’m not scared, dammit, it’s just …” she interrupted again, rather frustrated in several ways, and then smacked a hand over her mouth, turning away. “God, why is the truth so terrifying to admit?”

A silence engulfed them and she felt Richard step further into the room. When she didn’t turn or say anything, he continued on until she felt him at her back. “I -- I want you to be comfortable with me, enough that you can trust me. I want to be the man you trust to …” 

She shook her head to stop him, too embarrassed to hear him say it aloud again. “It’s not like you think,” she whispered. 

His hands hovered over her hips and when she didn’t show any fear at him being close again - because she wasn’t afraid - his palms pressed against her. “Then tell me. Help me understand, because right now I feel like you’re cross with me and I want to make things right again,” he said softly, hesitantly, sincerely.

Kate drew in a deep breath and turned in his arms, placing her hands on his chest and becoming fascinated with the sweater he wore. “I’m not … that is to say I have had sex before. It’s just been a very, very long time and I was a lot younger. And that first time was not …” She trailed off and swallowed hard, trying to hold her nerve. “Not something I want to remember or duplicate.”

Richard nodded, his hands slipping up her back very slowly. “I understand,” he whispered, pressing his lips to the top of her head. “And I know you’re embarrassed, love, but I’m glad you told me.”

Kate sagged against him, thankful he didn’t laugh or turn away or say something stupid. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close, feeling his warmth through his clothes. His arms went around her in turn and held her tightly. They stood silently for a moment and thankfully, Kate felt the rush and swirl of her emotions start to calm. 

“I know you said you aren’t scared, Kate,” he said after a moment. “But you are nervous about something.”

She licked her lips and buried her face into his chest more. “It’s not about trust. I’ve never … I feel something completely new with you and I trust it,” she mumbled against him.

“But…?” he coaxed gently, his hands coming to her face and titling it back so she had to look into his blue eyes; icy blue searching hers. 

Her throat was dry again, but she told herself she had to tell him. “What if … what if I’m bad at it?” 

Again, he could have laughed, could have said a dozen things adamantly that she honestly didn’t think would ease her conscious at all. But instead, Richard just smiled softly, his thumb grazing over her cheek tenderly. “I would take care of you, Kate.”

That caused her heart to flutter in her chest. “I just don’t want to disappoint you,” she whispered.

He shook his head, the smile deepening into a smirk. “You smart…” He paused and kissed her cheek. “Wonderful.” Another kiss on her other cheek. “Sexy.” She shuddered at the low tone of his voice as his lips brushed over her lips. “Beautiful woman. You couldn’t disappoint me, not even if you were trying.”

Her hands fisted his sweater and she looked at him, hoping her desperation wasn’t showing in her eyes. Richard leaned in and kissed her upper lip, just barely and her heart skipped. 

“You drive me out of my mind,” he whispered and then kissed her deeply, melting her bones. When he pulled back, her hands reached up and gripped his wrists, wanting to keep him to her. 

“Completely out of my mind,” he said before he kissed her again, this time with a bit more of heated demanding. 

Kate wasn’t sure what he had said or done, but her earlier reservations were all gone. Her arms went around his neck and she desperately pulled her body up to press closer to him. Richard’s hands went to her hips and bunched the fabric of her shirt in his fists. Their fierce kiss broke just long enough for him to pull the article of clothing up over her head and toss it back on the floor. Kate shook her wavy hair and watched as Richard let out a deep breath, his hands sliding up her pale torso.

His eyes were transfixed on her skin as his hands moved up. Kate licked her lips and reached for the edge of his sweater. “Your turn?” she asked sheepishly. 

Richard nodded, almost absentmindedly and grabbed at the back of his neck, tugging the sweater off himself. He tossed it back with her shirt and she pulled her lower lip between her teeth as her eyes followed the path of her hands up his naked chest. When she looked up and met his gaze, studying her, she blushed. 

“Fuck, you’re so lovely,” he muttered, one hand threading through her hair and tipping her head back as he leaned in and captured her lips with his again.

His skin was so warm to the touch and Kate wanted to feel more. Her arms threaded around his neck at the same time he fitted his palms over her bum and hauled her from her feet. She gasped in surprise, her legs winding around his torso as he turned them and headed out of the kitchen.

Kate peppered his bearded face with kisses, relishing in his soft chuckle as he eventually made it to her bedroom. It was dark, save for the white light streaming in from the street lamp nearby; just enough light to see everything properly, she thought vaguely and then blushed again.

“Thinking naughty thoughts, Ms. Brooks?” Richard’s deep voice was like another hand caressing down her curves. 

Kate smiled down at him and kissed his lips, tugging on his bottom lip, “Yes. Many naughty thoughts, Mr. Armitage.”

He groaned and gently sat her down on the edge of her bed. Before he could pull back too far, she reached forward and took hold of the top of his jeans, pulling him closer. Her eyes met his and she congratulated herself on not having shaky hands as she undid his belt. 

“You sure have a mind on what you want to do,” Richard said softly, one of his hands raking through her waves.

She nodded sheepishly and licked her lips, pausing as she undid the button on his jeans. “When I get pretty determined, it’s hard to stop me,” she commented lightly.

“Hmmm,” he commented lightly, gently tugging her hair so she tilted her head back up to look at him. “Then I best distract you quickly.”

Kate felt hurt slash through her but it dissipated as Richard coaxed her back onto the center of the bed, his tall, hard frame covering her. He kissed her and she forgot what it was she was going to say. His lips moved from hers, along the column of her neck as his hand pulled her leg over his hip. She gasped slightly as he pressed against her, his hand moving up her thigh, skimming her side until his thumb brushed under the curve of her breast, still in her simple black bra.

“Richard,” she breathed, feeling her back arch slightly at the light touch. “Sh--shouldn’t I…”

Her sentence ended in a breathy moan as he nipped her neck and moved his hands down to unbutton her jeans. Richard’s eyes locked onto hers as he gently worked her jeans over her hips and then tugged them down her legs, leaving her in just her bra and peach colored panties. 

“You should just lay back and relax,” he replied softly, his palms moving up the smooth skin of her calves and thighs. “Can you do that for me, love?”

Kate pressed her thighs together and worried on her lower lip for a moment, her skin on fire wherever he touched. Finally she nodded, “Yes.”

Richard smirked, “Good girl.” She shivered and groaned softly as he moved over her again. “You must also promise me to stop me if it’s too much,” he said very softly, pushing her thighs apart and moving up against her.

She looked up to see the seriousness in his gaze - he was telling the truth; he didn’t want to push her too far and wanted her to feel comfortable. And she did feel comfortable; still a tad nervous, but it was different. Like an excitement bubbling up. Kate took hold of the band of his jeans and practically pulled him on top of her. 

“I promise,” she whispered, then leaned up to kiss him. “But just so we’re clear … I don’t intend to stop you.”

He grinned against her lips and kissed her deeply as his hands slid around her back and lifted her to sit up for a moment as he kneeled before her. “Let’s take this off, shall we?” he asked, his palms skimming the straps of her bra down.

As he did so, she found it very easy for her to reach behind and undo the clasps - no fear or hesitation at all. He tossed it away and replaced it with his hands, his large palms fitting over her breasts quite nicely. Kate felt the breath leave her as she closed her eyes and pressed against his hands. Richard kissed her again and lowered her back down the bed. He slowly moved down her body, his lips tracing a wet path and his beard scraping on her skin in a delicious way that had her body tingling. She felt the slight scrape of his teeth around the curve of her breast, which made her whimper softly. It was hard to keep her eyes open, the pleasure of such simple little acts burning her from the inside out. Kate looked at him with hooded eyes, desperate for him to continue exploring her at his leisure. 

Richard’s blue eyes were on her, intent but giving nothing away of the thoughts and emotions churning in him. She felt like all her thoughts were playing out in her face; everyone always told her she had no poker face. She hated that. But now, she wanted Richard to see; wanted him to know the excited anxious feeling she felt as his calloused fingertips massaged her skin, to see her pleasure as his smooth lips closed around the peak of her breast, to know as his tongue circled around her nipple, she was going out of her mind. 

His name passed her lips in a soft moan as his teeth gently tugged on the pebbled peak. The sharp, brief pain made her tighten her thighs around his torso and her back arch. Richard pulled back, his warm breath causing goosebumps to rise on her skin. Kate couldn’t decipher the look on his face, which sent an unwanted jolt through her. She felt her brow furrow as she set up on her elbows.

“What is it?” she asked, surprised at the low, husky tone of her own voice. 

It caused Richard’s eyes to shoot straight up to hers and a very sinful smirk to curl his lips. His body stretched up, his lips pressing against hers. “You. I love your reactions, how you respond to me,” he whispered against her mouth. His hand slid up her side, causing her breath to hitch and her eyes to flutter shut. “It’s intoxicating, watching you, feeling you,” he continued, his lips moving down the column of her neck as his hand fitted over her neglected breast. 

He squeezed and played with her gently, his thumb rolling over her straining nipple. Kate sighed in appreciation as his mouth continued downward, across her collarbone, over her breast, down her stomach. When he reached her belly button, his tongue rimmed around it. One of her hands went into his short hair and her nails raked against his scalp. 

He repeated the action for her efforts and she whimpered, the teasing movement of his tongue making her want more. Richard’s body shifted down and Kate pulled her lower lip between her teeth to keep from moaning loudly as his fingers traced over her panties, straight down over her mound. 

“I love this color,” he commented lightly, his fingers petting her lightly and causing her to quiver in anticipation. 

Kate had never had a guy pay so much attention to winding her up before; really she had been resigned to never experience it, as her mother informed her foreplay was dead. Then again, there was always something different about Richard that made a tingle race down her spine. She had also never had a man go down on her; the thought was a quiet fantasy in the back of her head, also one she had resigned to never get a chance to have in reality. 

Richard clearly had other plans. His large palms gently coaxed her thighs to fall open wider and after she complied, he rubbed his knuckles against her through her panties. When he brushed over her clit, Kate gasped loudly and her back arched. “Oh God…” she breathed and then put her hand to mouth, muffling a loud moan as he repeated the motion.

He looked up and gave her a teasing glare, pulling her hand from her mouth. “No, don’t do that, love. I want to hear.”

Kate’s mouth was dry and she let out a small whimper at his words, his voice making her shiver. His knuckles again brushed over her, but this time, he gently ground them against her clit. Kate let out a high-pitched gasp which turned into a moan as her back arched again at the touch. 

“There’s a good girl.” Richard’s voice was deep and appreciative. Kate groaned and fisted the sheets at her side, wanting more. 

He seemed to read her thoughts - or at least her body language - as his hands slid up the outside of her thighs and tugged at the top of her panties. They slid easily down her legs and Richard followed their path, planting kisses down her legs as he pulled the fabric down. He sat up and tossed them away, looking back at her naked before him. 

Kate swallowed hard, feeling waves of doubt wash over her and an intense need to hide her body from him, a body she had never been proud of. But he only licked his lips, his eyes running over her like a man dying for drink and she was the water. She pulled her lower lip between her teeth and bent one knee, waiting for him to make the next move; she was too nervous to do it herself. 

Richard leaned forward, nudging her thighs apart again. “You are absolutely gorgeous, Kate,” he said softly, holding her gaze. 

“You’re not so bad yourself,” she managed to get out breathlessly. It made him chuckle softly and she smiled, the tension easing somewhat inside her. 

He bent down, kissing her bent knee, then down the inside of her thigh, inching closer and closer to her center. She watched his descent and encouraged him on by shifting her legs open and lifting her hips a bit. His shoulders worked between her thighs as he settled down on the bed. 

“Richard,” she started, the unexplainable need to tell him he didn’t have to do this coming over her. But she never got the chance. 

One of his long fingers traced down the skin of her inner thigh and then down around her outer folds. The light, teasing sensation made her groan with frustration. He outlined her once, twice and just before she was going to beg, his tongue replaced his finger as he once again teased her.

“Oh God, Richard, please…” she begged, lifting her hips and pressing herself closer. 

Richard’s hands grabbed hold of her hips and he gently pressed her down, holding her in place. She was glad he did as he drug his tongue up from the bottom of her slit to the top, a broad, slow stroke. A shuddering breath left her. “More.” The word left her lips in a slight whisper before she could even think to stop it. 

He looked up at her and she could see his grin in his eyes. He did the motion again, the tip of his tongue circling around her clit. After that, he didn’t hold back at all. His mouth fitted over her and she nearly came off the bed as he began to suck, lick and tease her center. Kate’s hands suddenly had minds of their own as her brain went fuzzy with the intense pleasure coursing through her. She felt one fit over her own breast, which was dying to be touched. The other slipped into Richard’s hair again, gently pushing him against her. 

Damn, was he good at this. Not that she had anything to compare him to, but Christ she was sure he was very, very skilled. When she gasped as his teeth gently nipped her, her eyes went wide and she looked down to see him watching her, his eyes dark. Kate swallowed hard and shivered as he moved one arm up, stretching it over her body. His large, warm palm fit over her other breast, causing Kate’s head to fall back and her eyes to flutter close.

His fingers worked over her breast, teasing over her nipple, mimicking the circles his tongue was doing on her clit. Everything was melting together and Kate couldn’t concentrate; the churning in her stomach was hot and ready to spill over. She wasn’t aware of her hips pushing up against his mouth until his hand left her chest and both palms gripped her hips. Her eyes opened and she looked down to see him stretch one arm over her stomach to hold her down. The other disappeared between her thighs and as he sucked on her clit, she felt one long finger push inside her.

“Richard, oh God.” The words left her mouth in a desperate plea, other rather foul words threatening to follow. She clenched her jaw, trying to keep her sanity. 

Richard drug his tongue up her wet folds and kissed her clit gently before he met her gaze with a dark stare. “Stop holding back,” he growled at her.

Kate opened her mouth to argue that really, she wasn’t holding back too much. But then he crooked his finger inside her and that did it. “Oh fuck!” she said aloud, moving up onto her elbows to look down at him.

He grinned and went back to work, his mouth sucking on her clit as another of his long, talented fingers slipped inside her and crooked in a “come here,” motion. And come she did; her eyes rolled back, she thought she might have said his name and many curse words, and her body shook with the blinding orgasm that washed over her.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lovely date night continues. Very NSFW

There were probably several moments that passed where she blanked, but when Kate came back to herself, her chest heaving with her breath, Richard was looking rather smug as he worked back up her body. “Work out some tension, did I?” he asked quietly. 

Kate laughed, putting her hands to her face and feeling a bit of embarrassment at clearly losing herself in the most amazing pleasure she had ever felt. Richard lazily kissed along her collarbone and up her neck as his hand drug her palms away from her face. 

“You’re blushing,” he said almost reverently as he looked down at her. After a moment of staring, he leaned down and kissed her already swollen lips. “Blushing and smiling… absolutely beautiful.” 

This only made her blush more, but she felt … on top of the world. She supposed that’s what amazing orgasms did to your confidence. That was why it was easier for her to reach out and undo his pants, pushing them down. “You’ve charmed me out of my pants … now I want you out of yours,” she whispered against his lips. 

Richard gave a low growl as her hands brushed against his erection straining against his boxer-briefs. This emboldened her even more as he worked his jeans completely off. Her hand cupped him and she swallowed hard; she thought she’d be scared but a thrill shot through her. Richard let out a heavy breath, resting his forehead against hers. Kate looked up to see how tense he was and when he too swallowed hard, she smiled softly and moved a bit to kiss him deeply. 

He melted into the kiss and pressed against her, especially her hand. Kate took the moment to rub his shaft and tug on his bottom lip. Richard’s breathing was hot and heavy as he pulled his lips from hers and leaned against her. “Kate,” he ground out and there was a zing from her head to her toes. He was flushed, his muscles tense… all because of her. The power was intoxicating.

She kissed him again and pushed at his boxer-briefs, “I want you,” she said against his mouth, working the last bit of his clothing off his amazing body. “I need you, right now please.”

He gave a breathless chuckle as he hurriedly chucked his boxer-briefs to join the rest of their sprawled clothing. “So polite,” he teased, nipping her bottom lip as he reached down with a palm and rubbed between her thighs again. 

She moaned, her eyes rolling back as she arched against his touch, “I love your hands...God, I love your hands,” she found herself saying without realizing it. 

Richard smiled, still rubbing against her as he hovered over her. “I have to admit… they are pretty fond of you as well.”

She groaned in frustration at his teasing and then found herself panting as he pulled away. When he returned, unwrapping a condom and sliding it on, Kate reached for him, wanting to feel his weight on her again. She was feeling anxious once more… but not scared. The fear had evaporated and been replaced with a white hot need coursing through her veins, pulsing in her since he brought her to that amazing first orgasm. She was feeling selfish and wanted another, only this time with Richard inside her coming too.

He leaned over her and Kate sucked in a breath as she felt him nudge the tip of his hard shaft against her wet folds. Her eyes fluttered shut and she waited for him to slip inside her; she was close to begging for it actually. Just as she was about to get more than a little frustrated at his slow pace, she felt Richard press his forehead against hers. 

“Kate, look at me,” he growled softly and she couldn’t do anything but open her eyes.

He stared at her, a deep, dark stare full of want and lust and …. well she wasn’t quite sure what the other emotion lurking there was. She reached up, cupping his jaw with her hand tenderly, feeling so much rushing through her she couldn’t even begin to describe it. 

Richard let out a heavy breath and leaned down, kissing her softly as his hands gripped her hips and he slowly, achingly, pushed his length into her willing body. Kate gasped against his mouth, her arms wrapping around his neck and holding to him tightly as he stretched her open. She thought it might hurt - just like the first time - but it wasn’t like that at all. As Richard moved inch by incredible inch, it was a delicious stretch. It was uncomfortable at first, but he took his time, pulling out and pushing back in more - slowly, patiently. He whispered against her lips, reminding her to relax, to breathe deep. Her eyes stayed concentrated on him as she listened to him. 

When she whimpered as he pulled out, Richard paused and slipped a hand up over her body and into her hair. Kate felt her breath catch as he tilted her head back and kissed her soundly, his hips flexing forward gently and he finally, finally filled her completely, right to the hilt.

She moaned against his mouth as he stilled above her, allowing her to adjust to the size of him, to feel the stretch she was starting to like more than she had expected. When he pulled out of the kiss, they were breathing heavily, bodies plastered together. Kate’s hands were around his neck and against the back of his head; she needed only to kiss his bottom lip and flex her hips up for him to understand she was ready for more. 

Richard was a man of his word; he took great care of her, moving at a gentle, slow pace which had Kate feeling as if she were burning from the inside out. Her hands clawed for purchase on his skin, each press of his hips against hers, each drive into her body making her moan wantonly. She didn’t care. 

One of his large palms fit over her breast and he squeezed as he thrusted in, making her eyes roll back. It felt so good; his body over her, his hands on her, his hard shaft pressing deep inside her. She licked her lips and wrapped her arms tightening around his neck, pulling herself up to kiss him.

“Your turn,” she breathed against his lips. “It’s your turn to stop holding back.”

He groaned rather loudly, “Kate, are you…”

She kissed him again to keep him from finishing the question. “Faster. Please, go faster,” she begged softly.

His hand on her hip tightened and he kissed her back, pulling all the air from her lungs as he sped up his pace, his hips hitting against her body faster and harder. Kate moaned against him, lifting her legs up to wrap around his waist. The new angle caused him to push in deeper and both of them let out appreciative noises as the new feeling. Richard’s palms gripped her thighs, opening her more as her heels dug into his lower back. Her body fell back against the bed as she tilted up to meet his fast, hard thrusts and she would swear on everything she held dearest to her that this was the most amazing thing she had ever felt in her life.

Richard angled his body over her and kissed a white hot path up her body. “Fuck … you feel so perfect.”

Kate moaned softly and grabbed a tight hold of his arms, “Keep going,” she begged, feeling so close to an orgasm more intense than her first.

His lip attached to the spot where her shoulder met her neck and she felt his teeth nip her, making her moan loudly. She was right there, so close… Richard slipped a hand between them, his calloused thumb slowly circling and teasing her clit and Kate cried out his name, arching up as her entire body shook with her climax. She felt herself clench around him, holding him to her and he growled against her skin, his hips snapping against her for four more hard thrusts, pushing her through her orgasm as his hit him.

When he collapsed on top of her, all heavy weight and sweet sated man, Kate let out a heavy breath and grinned so brightly, she thought her face might split. After a minute, Richard raised his head from her chest to see her smile and she bit the corner of her bottom lip, still glowing from all the post-orgasm bliss. 

Richard groaned and moved up a bit, kissing the spot she just had between her teeth. “I love that look,” he breathed, quite of of breath himself.

“What look?”

“Like you’re the most satisfied woman on God’s Earth.”

Kate laughed softly, her hands running over his strong back and shoulders, “That’s because I am. Richard…. that was…”

“Amazing?” he asked, kissing her. “Fantastic?” His lips moved along her jaw. “Brilliant?”

His lips were lazily moving acrossing her neck, his hands already back on her breasts. Kate sighed happily. “All of the above.”

Richard paused and looked at her, a tender smile on his face. Kate framed his face with her hands. “Thank you,” she breathed.

He let out a bit of a scoff and kissed her slowly, but still deeply. “Don’t thank me. That was all purely for selfish reasons.”

She giggled against his lips. “My orgasms were for your selfish reasons?” 

“Oh yes. And I’m going to spend a lot of time finding all the ways I can bring that beautiful smile and blush to your face.”

Kate found nothing in her that wanted to argue with that.

~*~*~*~

Richard was in that odd place between being completely asleep and in the fuzzy land of consciousness. Usually, this would come just before the moment his alarm would sound and he would just make himself roll over and get up anyway. But right now he was warm and comfortable and he could barely register the feeling of the warm body against his, which enticed him even more to not move more than necessary.

Pulling in a breath, he stretched a bit, feeling his legs knocking against slim, satiny ones, and curled his arms around the body pressed against his. He heard a soft, feminine groan in response and his eyes opened slowly, taking in the dark room that wasn’t his. It took him a split second for everything to come rushing back; the amazing dinner, Kate kissing him, feeling her soft skin, tasting her, pushing deep inside her…

He groaned now, the images flooding his senses and the feeling of his body start to come to life at those memories, waking him more. As his eyes adjusted, he looked down and smirked seeing Kate cuddled up against him in quite possibly every way imaginable. It was definitely nice, as they were both still naked and she was all soft and curves. Her smooth back was plastered up against his chest and her head tucked under his chin. Legs entangled, the curve of her body put her fantastic arse right against the apex of his thighs. If that wasn’t heavenly enough, Richard had one arm curved around her and his palm on her soft breast; his other hand was low on her stomach, sitting possessively right above her sweet mound.

Bliss, that’s what he felt. Kate had been so sweet and well, fucking sexy as they made love the night before. He was tempted to wake her and see if she would let him kiss all over her gorgeous body again before driving deep into her tight pussy. His hips twitched a bit at the thought, pressing into the curve of her arse.

The action caused Kate to pull in a deep breath, her body stretching and bumping into his in all the right places, just as she had done on her couch earlier, teasing him into a frenzy.

Her breathing changed and as she shifted, her head turned up a bit to try to look at him. “Are you awake?” she asked, her voice quiet and laced with sleep.

Richard moved his hand from her lower abdomen and brushed back her hair from her shoulder, “Yes love, I’m awake. But only just.” His hand trailed down her shoulder, arm and waist before taking up its sentry spot just above her center once more.

If there had been a bit more light, he was sure he’d see her cheeks tinted rosy pink again. But instead of withdrawing in embarrassment, Richard was very happy when she settled back into him more. “I thought it might had been a dream. A really, really good dream,” she admitted.

He smiled and leaned his head down, his lips gently sucking her earlobe. “Having dirty dreams about me, Kate?” he whispered in her ear.

She moaned softly, a beautiful sound that made his cock twitch. “Yes,” she freely answered.

He was a bit surprised she would be honest about that so freely, but he wasn’t about to try his luck by questioning it. Instead, Richard’s teeth gently nipped her ear, cause her body to grind against his, and his hand slipped a bit further down, fingers teasing the skin right above her clit.

“Thankfully, it was no dream. And I’m here to offer more proof if you wish.” He wanted to take her again; he wanted to fuck her hard and draw out the pleasure once more, but she would have to give him a sign she was ready for it. She had been so tentative earlier - he hoped his care and slow approach eased her into trusting him. Because there were so many things he wanted to do to this woman - keeping her shaking with pleasure naked in his bed for three days was top of the list.

Kate swallowed hard and he automatically started to pull his hand up, so as not to pressure her. He was more than happy when her smaller palm covered his hand, stopping its movement. She turned her head up more and kissed under his chin. His eyes closed and he licked his lips at the action.

“Well … it’s always good to be thorough,” she whispered against his skin, her lips moving down and along the column of his neck. “So I’m open to you providing some more proof.”

Richard was never one to have a woman tell him something twice. He tilted his head down and kissed her heatedly, her lips opening willing underneath his as one of her hands reached back and ran up the back of his neck. It caused him to shiver and press his lips against her harder as his palm slipped down and along her inner thigh. He gripped her leg and pulled up, placing her leg over his and opening her to him.

He didn’t tease her now because honestly he didn’t want to tease; his grip on his self-control was almost non existent. But he didn’t start off as fast as a green teenager. As they continued to kiss, his fingers slipped up and down her folds, which were already wet, and slowly worked her up til she was pushing back against him. Her moans were like wordless begging. Richard drank all of them up greedily. He moved his fingers up and she gasped into him as the rough pads circled around her clit slowly.

“Richard,” she breathed against his lips and hearing his name slip from her like that made him even harder.

He kept kissing the corners of her mouth, along her jawline and working back up to her lips as his fingers sped up just a little, causing her body to wiggle against his. Then she did something he didn’t expect at all from her.

His fingers had just slipped further down her pussy, coating them in her wetness before moving up to press against her clit, drawing a whimper from her against his lips. At that whimper, Kate reached back with her small, pale hand and circled her fingers around his hard cock resting just against her arse. Richard groaned against her mouth and her hand stilled.

“No, don’t stop.” He heard his voice getting scratchy and his accent deepening as he all but begged her. He even pushed his hips forward, against her body and moving his shaft against her palm.

He might have even been embarrassed by himself except she was so bloody sexy, the way she bit her lower lip and looked back up at him through those long eyelashes. Her blue eyes had a tint of green to them and Richard couldn’t stop from leaning down and kissing her deeply.

They spent the next 10 minutes slowly stroking each other into a blissful frenzy. Richard moved his fingers over her in soft circles, pausing every so often to run his thumb down over her sensitive nub, which made her whimper and moan in such a lovely way. His other hand stayed on her breast, massaging gently and rubbing her nipple between his fingers. If that wasn’t enough to have him harder than he could ever remember being, her soft hand gently squeezing his cock as his hips bucked forward, helping her stroke him did a damn good job of turning him on too.

Her body shifted, and she turned on her back, her legs falling open more and giving Richard more access to her as her hand shifted its grip on him. She was breathless as his lips moved along her jaw and back toward her ear. When he kissed the sensitive spot just below her ear, Kate shuddered against him, her hand squeezing his length a bit tighter. A low growl sounded in the back of his throat as he moved his mouth and nipped her earlobe. His fingers slipped down and teased at her entrance before he pushed two fingers inside her, his thumb circling her clit. She moaned his name, her fingers slipping over his tip, spreading the wetness that welled up there.

That was it for him. Richard pulled his hands from her and sat up, taking hold of her hips and dragging her on the bed where he wanted. Kate pulled her lower lip between her teeth and she smiled, her black waves spread out around her like a halo. He hovered over her, his knee pushing between her thighs to keep her legs open, admiring how beautiful she looked right then.

Richard dipped down, gently kissing her and nipping on her swollen lower lip. “You are absolutely gorgeous, love,” he whispered lowly.

Her body flushed and her shy smile came back. She obviously wasn’t used to hearing the phrase directed at her too often, which made his heart squeeze. Someone had hurt her … maybe even a few people. But he wanted to show her how bloody fantastic she really was; he started that mission last night and was keen to continue.

He kissed her again and she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him to her as he reached down and palmed her pussy, his fingers teasing in and out of her entrance lightly. She gave a deep groan and he pulled back, her eyes widened as she seemed as surprised as he that she made the sound.

Her face flushed and he could already see her panic, but Richard just smiled, leaning back down and possessing her mouth as his slick fingers rubbed over her clit. When he pulled back, they were both gasping for air and he could feel Kate drag her fingernails along his scalp. That set his body on fire.

He groaned and rested his forehead against hers with his eyes closed, “Kate… I don’t have another condom,” he whispered the realization sadly.

His eyes opened to see her lick her lips, her gaze down between their bodies, obviously on his erection. Her blue eyes then shifted up to meet his. “I’m on the pill….,” she breathed. He might have imagined it, but he thought there was a hint of desperation there as well.

Richard swallowed hard and closed his eyes again, “Kate.”

Kate leaned up and kissed him fiercely and he knew then that the desperation was not imagined. She was just as turned on as he was and in need of release. He could give it to her without actually having sex, but fucking Christ he wanted to take her.

“It’s okay,” she breathed steadily, reassuringly as her hand raked softly along the back of his head and neck.

He shivered and reached up, one hand at a time, taking her hands and intertwining their fingers. He placed their combined hands up by her head and she squeezed his palms, her smile soft and sweet and trusting. Fucking hell.

Richard squeezed her hands back and then let go of one, reaching down between their bodies to guide himself into her. He moved slowly as he did earlier in the evening, realizing she was probably still a little sore. When she bit down on her lower lip and grimaced, he eased up a bit, pulling back out. Kate shook her head though, her free hand moving to his lower back and pushing against his strong frame.

“No, I want it. I’m okay,” she whispered.

He leaned down and kissed her, taking her free hand and returning it by her head with his fingers slipping through hers. He pushed all the way into her, sighing against her perfect little mouth as his hands gripped hers tightly, as if he needed the anchor. Her moan was one of content and fulfillment and he couldn’t help but feel the same. He pulled out slowly and then pushed back in with a bit more force. Her hips arched to meet his and it felt so good to be inside her again; tight and wet and fucking hell he didn’t know if he was going to last. Forty years old and acting like a teenager.

“Richard,” Kate whimpered, bringing him back to the moment. Her small fingers clenched around his and she wrapped those long legs around his waist, changing the angle he was in. “Please…”

He felt like being wicked, like whispering dirty things in her ear and making her beg and whimper, on the brink of orgasm. But heavy teasing was for another night when she was ready for it. Instead, Richard kissed along her jaw and started down her neck. “Yes, darling,” he said lowly, his voice husky and he could see her breath hitch at hearing it.

He only sped up his thrusts a fraction until his lips had worked over her collarbone and down to her beautiful breasts, uncovered and waiting for him. His eyes looked up, seeing her watching him, her fingers gripping his, and his closed his lips around one straining peak. As he sucked and rolled it between his tongue and the roof of his mouth, Kate called out his name. His hips snapped forward with a bit more force and speed now, his control fraying with each push into her tight body.

“Yes, yes, just like that,” she said, far from a whisper. “Don’t stop.”

And he didn’t. He was able to keep the rhythm steady, moving over to pay homage to her other breast. Kate’s thighs tightened around his middle as he moved in and out, driving her toward the brink.

“Oh God … Richard,” she gasped, her body writhing beneath his. “I’m going to…”

Richard squeezed her hands and moved his head up, lips hovering above hers, “I want you to come, darling,” he said gruffly, his northern accent deep now as his control was absolutely gone. His hips were snapping into hers roughly, the sound of their bodies together intoxicating in the quiet morning hours.

At his little command, Kate gave a ragged cry, her body clenching around his in every way she could. The feeling was indescribable and Richard’s thrusts faltered at the feeling of her orgasm rippling around him. Her body spasmed as his erratic thrusts continued. His release was coming, and though she said it was all right, he still pulled out of her as it hit him. She whimpered at the loss and fell limp against the mattress. He was slightly embarrassed to see he had let go all over her stomach.

Richard swallowed hard, trying to catch his breath as Kate lay beneath him, panting just as hard. But her face glowed, even in the faint light in her room, and her content smile made him grin with male pride. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, her nose, her lips and then pulled away from her.

This immediately distressed her as she went to follow his movements. “Where are you going?” she gasped softly, her breath still uneven.

He smiled, cupping her face and kissing her sweetly. “Just a moment, love.” His eyes then darted down to her stomach. Her gaze followed and she let out a soft, “Oh.”

He felt his face flame. “I’m sorry, I …”

But Kate grabbed his face and kissed him hard. Richard started to melt into the kiss and groaned as she pulled away.

“That was amazing. Don’t you dare apologize for any of it. Not a thing,” she whispered.

Well, if that didn’t make him feel a bit of male arrogance, he wasn’t sure what would. He dropped another short kiss on her swollen lips and then slipped from the bed, walking toward her bathroom. As he returned with a warm towel, she was spread out on the bed, the light reflecting in her eyes as she watched his movement.

“You are so damn gorgeous, do you know that?” she asked as he crawled next to her and gingerly began to wipe the towel over her skin.

He brushed off the compliment, “Compared to you, I think I’m far from being labeled gorgeous.”

Her palm slipped up his thigh and squeezed, causing him to turn his gaze up to hers. They just stared at one another for a moment, just like they tended to do, and then she gave him such a beautiful smile, he thought she would be able to hear his heart rattling against his ribs.

“You are amazing, in every single way a woman can think of, Richard,” she said sincerely. And he believed her, if only for five seconds.

Once her skin was clean, he tossed the towel into the hamper in her bathroom and wandered back into the bedroom, thinking about whether or not he should ask her if she wanted something to drink or to eat after their excursions.

“Richard,” her voice broke through his thoughts and he realized he had been standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.

When he looked over at her, she was on her side, looking soft and inviting.

“Please come back to bed.”

Again, Richard had never been a man to have a woman tell him something twice.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW. Thank you all for the comments and patience. <3 <3 <3

\- Chapter Eight -

June 2011

Kate scribbled furiously on her notepad, standing next to Peter as he rattled off instructions. The crew and actors were once again in Bag End, (for half the day and half of the day only Pete continued to mantra) and even though it was enchanting being in the famed hobbit hole once more, she could tell they were all rather done with it.

While she was taking notes, keeping up with Peter’s sporadic thoughts, the script supervisor - a pretty brunette named Maggie who had been flirting with Aidan through the whole shoot thus far - was sitting just off set, calling out to remind him how the set up was when the crew was there months ago. The kiwi rubbed his face, “Bloody hell, this is a complete mess.”

Rob had left the movie. Kate was slightly embarrassed she hadn’t seen it coming. He had been withdrawing from most of the cast and crew as filming had finally started, and she hadn’t even been able to get a hold of him after a while. One morning, Peter called in all the ADs and told them the news.

He had packed up and left the night before. And they would have to tell everyone as the quest for a new Fili got underway.

Thankfully, Peter always tried to prepare for the worse. Kate always guessed it was after Lord of the Rings and having Stuart Townsend give up the role of Aragorn just as quickly as Rob left The Hobbit. Still, it kind of floored her when she walked into Peter’s office with Matthew two days later and met Dean O’Gorman. He was a local Kiwi actor Peter had apparently kept his eyes on and who had originally auditioned for the part of Bilbo. He was, thankfully, more than willing to slip into the role immediately. Kate took him to make up and costume that day actually.

The other good news was that he was fitting in with the rest of the cast famously. He and Aidan clicked immediately and if she thought Aidan couldn’t get into anymore trouble, she was wrong. With Dean now at his side, she felt like she was looking after two 5 year olds rather than mature actors.

So, with a new actor in hand, the cast and crew of first unit were now back in Bag End, refilming as much as time allowed to get Dean in shots. Kate felt like her head was spinning, she couldn’t imagine what Peter was feeling.

“All right, is everyone in place?” he asked as their company of dwarves sat about the table.

Kate looked up briefly to take a head count and check placement. “Adam’s in the wrong spot,” she said, double-checking her own notes from the first time they ran the scene. “He’s supposed to be facing Aiden, not next to him.”

There was a bit of gruff mumblings and sounds of heavy foot movement. When she looked up again, all dwarves were in their proper places. She nodded to Peter who gave a sigh of relief and headed toward his “tent,” the spot set up off set where he could watch the film and call the takes. Kate let out her own sigh of relief and nodded to all the actors, “All right, gentlemen, here we go.”

She couldn’t have been sure, but she thought maybe Richard’s hand had brushed her leg as she passed him and headed off set as well. He had started that habit since their tryst began; finding little ways to touch her, be near her, even steal a kiss. Not too much on set, thankfully, but during breaks off set, in the portacoms, in the trailers, in the catering tent, rehearsals… In all honesty, sometimes he went too far and Kate’s heart would jump in her throat with fear they would be found out.

“Quiet on set!” she called out before dipping into the tent.

A few moments of silence passed to give everyone a chance to settle. Once again, Kate and Peter shared a nod before the director picked up his mic and called action for the scene.

And so the day went. From early morning until the afternoon, the first unit were scrambling to do all they could to jump Dean in scenes where Rob had previously been. Kate counted their blessings they weren’t in second block yet. Though at that point, she was sure Rob would have been chained up somewhere, unable to leave by the will of the rest of the crew.

During a break, where the crew were putting together the next set, Kate took up station at one of the empty chair available to the actors. She was pouring over her notes, trying to remember little quirks and such from scenes that Peter had liked, wanting to duplicate as much as possible to move the process along. The chair next to her creaked with the arrival of another person, but Kate paid it no mind. She had things she needed to finish, there was no time to socialize.

“So, darlin’ Kate,” Aidan’s Irish accent flowed between them. “How do you fair today?”

Kate’s pen did not stop as she skimmed along the page, “No Aidan, you are not getting your cigarettes on set.”

He gave an infectious laugh that caused a tired smile to curl her lips. He shook his head and tugged on a random strand of hair that had escaped her low ponytail, “No definitely not going to try that one again, luv.”

“Tired of the rough treatment?” she asked, putting her pen down and looking up at him with a bemused smirk.

He leaned over, getting close so their noses almost bumped. “Oh no, luv. Every man likes a lass to get rough with him now and again,” he said lowly, giving her a cheeky wink afterward.

Kate laughed and pushed his shoulder, “Cut it out, you dork. What is it that you really wanted?”

Aidan shrugged and pulled back, leaning into the chair and folding his hands over his stomach. All of the actors were in full gear today - that meant wigs, costumes and prosthetics. Which included their hands, which really sucked for them. Kate didn’t envy them one damn bit.

“Just thought I could get a bit of chat in with you,” he said vaguely.

Kate leaned back and raised an eyebrow slowly. “Aidan, you can be cute and coy with Maggie, but not me. What’s up?”

Aidan gave her a long stare before he finally gave another cheeky grin. “Dean and I have been noticing something lately. We can’t quite figure it out. Thought maybe you’d have an idea on how to solve our mystery.”

Oh, so Dean was a part of this as well. That definitely made Kate more suspicious. “What mystery?”

“Well,” he drawled. “You know how Richard was a tad standoffish, pretty shy bastard when we started filming, yeah?”

Kate scoffed at that. Richard might be a quiet bloke, but standoffish was the last thing he was. Especially with his fellow actors on the set. “You’re joking, right? It’s been like the boy’s club with you lot for months now,” she countered.

“Eh, with us, sure. With some of the crew, not so much.” Aidan’s face was completely serious. Something in Kate made her lean in closer.

“He’s not upset about something is he? Did something happen?” She was already running scenarios through her head. If something had happened and Richard hadn’t told her, she was going to wring his English neck.

“Well, nothing bad.” Aidan cracked a grin. “He’s shacking up with someone we think. He’s been all chatty off set and won’t stop smiling, you know?”

Kate felt her eyes go wide. She quickly turned her attentions back to her notes and refused to open her mouth and say anything, lest she give herself away.

Aidan seemed to not notice her turn in demeanor. “We’ve been trying to narrow down the lucky lass,” he continued. “He’s been awful flirty with a majority of the girls, so the sodding bastard has made it difficult.”

Kate licked her lips, “I think you’re imagining things.”

He cackled, “You know something, don’tcha, Katie girl?” he poked.

Kate’s phone went off, an alarm she set to remind herself to round everyone up for the restart of shooting. She sighed with relief, “Time to get back on set. The Hardy Boys adventure will have to be put on hold.”

Aidan’s cheeky grin grew, “Fuck me, you DO know who it is, don’t you?”

“Aidan,” Kate felt the panic lodging right in her throat.

“Is it one of the crew? It’s Tami, right?” he pressed, leaning in close and nearly bouncing in his chair like a child. “Dean said the other morning they were awful chummy.”

Kate was close to being sick, her heart hammering against her chest, “Aidan,” she started.

“No, it’s an extra, right? One of those dwarrow dams. I knew it!” he continued, wiggling his eyebrows at her. “I figured it was those wisps of a beard.”

She let out an exasperated sigh and stood quickly, “Aidan, just stop!”

At her outburst, his smile faded and he looked at her oddly. She gathered up her notes, pen and phone. “Cut it out and get back on sert. We have a lot of ground to cover today.”

Luckily for her, Aidan and Dean seemed to avoid her like the plague for the rest of the day. That was perfectly fine with Kate, as she didn’t want to even deal with them poking around. Didn’t mean she could ignore the fact they would often look over at her. Like she had two heads.

Fantastic. So really, Kate had just made the two worse than before.

As the day went on, she told herself to let it go, but it was evident that would be the last thing she’d do. Kate began to draw back, sticking to her duties and rarely poking in to talk with the gents. Even Peter said something to her. He offered at some point to send Sebastian - his PA - to grab her some tea.

Richard tried to catch her eye at one point, but she tucked her head quickly, ignoring him. For some reason, she hoped that would deter him. But he was a stubborn man. He tried many times to bring her into his conversations with Pete and at one point even attempted to pull her inside his trailer with him, but she was able to slip out without a word. She knew it was wrong, she knew alienating herself would only make things worse, but she felt safer. Or she usually did. Now, the hurt expression on Richard’s face during their late afternoon break made her second guess herself.

Kate still felt withdrawn and on edge about everything when they had wrapped for the day. She tried to not overthink it but she still turned over everything hours later. Had Aidan and Dean figured out that she and Richard were together? But were they really together? It was something Kate had been contemplating over the past months of filming anyway. And his behavior would suggest he felt something for her, right? Did she feel that something as well?

When they weren’t on set, she and Richard actually spent a lot of time together. Most of the time, he would find his way to her flat, bringing food or wine. Occasionally he would cook them both dinner. Which considering everything, was just a god-sent for Kate. Really, they were awfully domestic the more she thought about it. They rarely went out, mostly because they were exhausted from being at Stone Street all day. The rare occasion they ventured out, it was far away from anywhere Kate thought they’d be seen…

So what did that make them? Kate wanted to think they were more than just an on-set “crush” (code for fuck buddies), but part of her wouldn’t let her forget that they kind of were. It wasn’t her fault that Richard was so sexy. She fought the urge to climb him as soon as he came through the door every night. Ignoring and dodging him earlier in the day was even harder than talking to Aidan about Richard sleeping with someone else. She also felt that she couldn’t be blamed for the fact she was the one instigating each sex session….

Okay, maybe not each…

“You’re awful quiet this evening,” Richard commented, his voice like a low rumble of thunder threading through her thoughts.

They were in the front room of her flat, Richard on the floor, leaning against one of her legs as she was sprawled out on the cushions of the couch. He was going over script revisions and she was double checking location scenes - Block 2 was on their doorstep and Kate wanted to be on top of everything.

There was a movie playing, merely for background noise. Kate was so in her thoughts about earlier and her current, well whatever it was with Richard, she wasn’t sure what movie it even was.

“What’s that?” she asked, shaking herself from her reverie and sitting up a bit, as if she had been caught doing something she shouldn’t have been.

Richard shifted his body a bit and turned his head to look up at her. “You’ve barely said two words tonight. Did something happen today?”

Kate’s response quickly came to the tip of her tongue, but she held back. No use jumping into a defense. “Nope,” she answered, clipped and nonchalant, randomly flipping through the pages of her binder just to have something to busy her hands. And her eyes. “Just thinking ahead a bit.”

“Hmm,” Richard mused, turning away and skimming his fingers over the script page in front of him. “Something tells me it’s more than that.”

His voice and tone made her feel like a child for some reason and a bit of Kate bristled at it. However, she made herself laugh a little - as if he was the absurd one, not she. “Honestly. It’s nothing. Just a lot going on.”

Richard turned back to look at her once again, raising one eyebrow. That simple move told her he knew she was lying through her teeth. She bristled once again. Her eyes turned back to her pages. “Richard, it’s nothing.”

One, she wasn’t apparently in the right mood to discuss any of her concerns with him. Two, she wouldn’t even know how to begin. She wasn’t very well versed with relationships of any kind in the romance area. So if it meant that she needed to “happily” ignore what was going on and continue to sleep with Richard, then so be it.

“Hmm,” he hummed again, turning another page. “Funny, it seemed there was, considering the fact you quite frankly avoided me today.”

Kate gave out an exasperated sigh, “You know my thoughts on us flirting on set.”

“Being coy and avoidance are two completely different things, Kate,” Richard replied, his words carrying a bite to it.

The tone took all the fight out of Kate. She felt herself hunker down in the sofa, drawing her legs up and curling up as she shifted away from him slightly. “Fine, you’re right.”

She waited for him to pester her again … no, if she were honest, she waited to hear the sound of him getting up, gathering his things and leaving. But neither happened. He heaved a big sigh and she heard him put aside his script.

Richard reached out and took hold of one of her calves, gently tugging her until she rolled back toward him. “Hey,” he said, his voice much softer and gentler, no anger in his gaze. “Tell me what’s going on, sweetheart. Please?”

Stupid, foolish tears began to gather in the corners of her eyes and Kate pursed her lips. She really had not wanted to do this at all tonight. But the way Richard looked at her now, blue eyes filled with concern and his thumb gently caressing her calf, she felt the overwhelming urge to be completely honest with him.

“Kate?”

The gentle voice had her wall breaking down and everything came pouring out.

“It’s just … Aidan said some things earlier. Things about you. And me. But not me, really. Just that he and Dean had been speculating that you are sleeping with someone on set. So they’ve gone all Nancy Drew and are attempting to figure out who it is. And he came straight to me because he thinks I know something and I tried to throw him off track, but he kept pushing. Rattling off about extras and even Tami for God’s sake….”

Kate’s ramblings suddenly halted and the thought she almost spoke out loud had her heart drop to her stomach.

Richard gave her a moment and when she guessed he figured she wouldn’t continue, he moved his hand up to her thigh and squeezed. “What upset you more; Aidan asking or Aidan assuming?”

Part of her wanted to hate him for being so close to the truth. “I … I’m just scared of him finding out.” It wasn’t a complete lie. She was always scared of what Pete and the others would think of her if they found out.

Richard shook his head. “It’s more than that, love.” He paused, caressing her thigh again before he tugged on the edge of her tank top to get her eyes to meet his. “You know I would never do that to you, don’t you? I’m here with you, every night. Aidan can suggest all he wants; you’re the one I’m desperately attempting to flirt with on set. You’re the one who I’m happily wrapped around. Not anyone else.”

The fact he thought she didn’t trust him broke Kate’s heart a little bit more and she finally did start to cry a bit. “It’s not that … I — I know you wouldn’t.”

“Good,” was his quiet response and that helped ease her a bit. His eyes still looked at her gently and she knew if she was going to tell him the next part, she couldn’t be looking him in the eye.

Kate pulled her gaze down and fiddled with the edge of her top not far from where his fingers still lingered. “I think,” she huffed a breath through her nose in frustration with herself. “It’s more the fact that Aidan didn’t even think for a second you would be sleeping with me. The only reason he came to talk to me was because I’m the AD who knows everything about everyone.”

Richard didn’t respond at first and his silence only served to make Kate feel even more foolish with herself. Then, after about five seconds, he took hold of her thighs and pulled and twisted her body until she seated before him, relaxed back in the sofa looking down at him.

“Did you know,” he started, voice in that low gruff he had been adopting for Thorin which had her shivering from head to toe. “When we first started training, and all the gents started to fly in, I was sure I would never get a chance to talk to you alone again?”

Kate felt her eyes go wide, “What?”

Richard nodded, hands caressing up her bare thighs as he gave her a sort of bashful smile, “I’m going to tell you something I’m fairly damn certain you don’t believe at all. You, my dear, lovely, beautiful Kate, attract people to you.”

She gulped, finding it hard to keep her attention from dividing between his hands on her skin and his voice. Her body - of its own will - began to slid down into the cushions further, her thighs widening so she could look at him seated before her. She even opened her mouth to counter what he said, but couldn’t find a way to form a sentence.

“Every time I would work up my nerve to approach you about something other than work, Aidan would swoop in. Or Rob. And then when I was able to finally catch you in the catering tent, Jimmy had to come over with the lads and crash our lovely conversation, you remember that?” Richard continued, his voice level and calm, like the soft caress of his hands.

“Richard,” Kate started, not understanding why he was bringing this up or where he was going with this.

“What I’m saying, sweetheart, is that while you may think - rather ridiculously if I may say - that Aidan doesn’t think I’d sleep with you, I’d bet you 10 pounds right now that he asked because he knows you’re shagging someone and he’s taking a stab that it might be me. Or rather he’s asked everyone else and I’m the last possibility. And I’m not very good at being sneaky and I can’t keep my hands off you,” he finished matter-of-factly, a sinful smirk curling his thin lips as his hands slipped up even higher. His knuckles brushed over the front of her panties, a particular move he knew she liked, and she gasped.

Kate shook her head, trying to keep her focus. This was an important conversation she needed to be a part of. “But why on God’s earth would Aidan think I was sleeping with someone? No, wait, the better question is why would he WANT to know?”

Richard’s smirk curled more as his fingers danced along the line of where her hips met the top of her thighs, “Another thing you don’t know, love. Aidan is actually a 12 year old girl instead of a 30-something Irish bloke.”

She scoffed and shook her head, pressing her elbows down in the sofa to sit up. But he pressed against her stomach, encouraging her to stay reclined as he continued to massage her. “Listen to me, all right?” He waited until she settled back in and nodded. “You have missed the point of the conversation. You believe everyone thinks the impossibility is me sleeping with you, when in fact, my gorgeous darling, it is the other way around.”

A heavy sigh passed her lips and she looked away from his gaze. “I’m not something special, Richard. You’re the gorgeous one. You’re the talented, amazing actor. You’re the one all the gents look up to and admire.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, love. Dead wrong,” Richard replied sternly.

But Kate couldn’t believe that. She still had trouble believing all this wasn’t some amazing, long dream that’d she wake up from. Never in a million years would she think Aidan Turner would want to know about her sex life and never in a billion years did she think Richard Armitage - sexy, funny, smoldering, shy, amazing Richard Armitage would be her sex life.

“Kate,” Richard said softly, squeezing her thighs. “Look at me, sweet girl.”

Blinking back tears, Kate turned her head and looked at him. He gazed at her with something of a mix of adoration and amusement. His broad hands, rough with lovely callouses from his sword work, trailed a shudder-inducing path down her legs, slowly circling around her ankles and tugging again. “Did you forget how gorgeous you are?”

“Hard to forget something you know isn’t true,” she mumbled.

Richard shook his head and tugged harder, drawing a squeak from her as she slid down further. With her bum now near the edge of the sofa, he pulled her legs up until they dangled over his broad shoulders before coaxing her thighs to open wider. “I think I need to remind you of how beautiful you are. Of what I want to do to you every time I see you,” he rumbled.

“Richard.” It was an attempt to get him to be serious, but his name sounded breathless as it left her lips. She moved up on her elbows to see him and her heart felt like it was racing as he moved in closer. His index finger traced a delicate line over her center and that small touch had her suck in a breath, biting her bottom lip.

“Shh, this is happening. I’ve been thinking about it all day,” he answered.

“You have not,” Kate countered, her breath still sounding all whispy and rather ridiculous if she thought about it.

“Mmm, have too,” he quipped, holding her gaze as he leaned in and nipped her right thigh with his teeth. Her breath caught in her throat as he pecked soft, delightful kisses upward.

Her body was shaking a bit in anticipation as he placed open-mouthed kisses on her skin - so damn slowly, she thought as she gritted her teeth and attempted to move up onto her elbows to see him better. But he wasn’t having that yet. Richard took one large palm to press on her stomach. Kate huffed out a breath and wiggled until she could comfortably sit up and see him as he kissed along her panty line.

“You know what the worst part of today was?” he rumbled against her skin.

Her lower lip found its way between her teeth as she shook her head. His eyes were locked on her and she couldn’t see his lips curl into a smirk, but she sure felt it.

“How I kept thinking about throwing you over my shoulder and taking you down the hall and just kissing you. Just kissing.” Richard sounded like he was purring against her. Not like a kitten, but a great big lion or panther, pawing and nipping at her. “Work you up a bit, hmmm. Make you think about this moment, when we’re alone and I could really have you.”

Kate moaned softly, shifting again to get a better look at what he was doing. “Richard.”

“Shhh, I have you, darling. Just lie back. Just enjoy,” he instructed, voice causing her to shiver.

She huffed a bit in annoyance but obeyed. She made herself snuggle back into the cushions and relax her body. Her eyes even fluttered shut for a moment and she made herself stop attempting to see him. He hummed in appreciation, kissing her just above her clit over her panties. Her hips moved slightly up as he pulled away, chasing his lips.

“Good girl,” he murmured and Kate finally melted, letting her mind go blank and concentrate on the sensations that Richard was stirring.

His fingers slid to her hips, curling under the band of her bikini panties. He pulled them down slowly, first making sure to trace the tip of his nose along the line of her pussy. Kate shuddered a little, feeling it from her toes to the top of her head, a pleasurable ripple she had never experienced before. She gasped, her eyes flying open. She looked down in complete surprise and met Richard’s bright grin as he peeled her panties down.

“Did you just have an orgasm?” he asked with a bit of wonder in his voice.

Kate felt a blush bloom in her cheeks. “A small one, I think…”

Richard let out a soft chuckle as he shook his head and tossed away her panties. “You … you’re so damn beautiful, you know that?”

She pursed her lips, her eyes closing again and head tipping back as he kissed her outer lips. “How is having a little orgasm make me beautiful?”

He gave a soft growl against her, which made her hand fly to his short hair and her nails scratch along his scalp. When he pulled back a bit, he cocked an eyebrow at her, “One, you are absolutely gorgeous no matter what you do. Seeing you in pleasure just adds to the beauty you already possess. Two, knowing I brought you to that pleasure is …”

Richard stopped then, his tongue darting out to wet his lips and Kate found herself groaning again. He reached out and stroked her with just enough pressure, starting at her clit and working down. The movement was repeated at least half a dozen times. “Knowing I bring you such bliss is amazing.”

Kate made a sound that almost sound like she herself was purring, snuggling back in the couch even more, her fingers carding along the top of his head. He chuckled at her and then moved back in, hands curling over the tops of her thighs and mouth fitting over her pussy. She moaned, back arching slightly as his tongue teased at her entrance before he closed his lips over her clit and sucked.

The movie credits were playing now, soft in the background, but Kate couldn’t hear them over the nearly filthy sound of Richard sucking and lapping at her. Her hips began to roll slowly, pressing up against his mouth as her body sought her next orgasm, a bigger release. Her voice whimpered, back in her throat; she couldn’t form any words, just needy noises pleading him to continue, not to stop. He answered back with moans and growls of his own, sucking on her clit, the lips of her pussy, pressing his tongue inside her.

What a picture they must have made; Kate kept her eyes closed and imagined it. Her body slumped down in the couch, breasts heaving and straining against her tank top which had been pushed up from her movement. Richard comfortably between her thighs, fully dressed in a t-shirt and sweatpants, his mouth covering her and quite literally feasting on her. That image, along with the sensations had her gasping, back arching.

Richard hummed, encouraging her on as her hips ground her pussy against his face. She was right there, her voice all high-pitched as she moved. His fingers massaged her hips, driving her on. Then, he slipped his tongue inside deep and his nose pressed against her clit and Kate came hard, his name stuttering loudly from her lips.

Her hand pressed hard against the back of his head, keeping him against her center as she came. She shook and shuddered from head to toe, panting as her body continued to roll and move against his mouth, drawing out her intense pleasure. After a few minutes she melted back into the couch again, heaving in air and looking down at Richard with heavy, lust filled eyes.

Richard was giving her a smug smirk, his tongue darting out to lick his lips clean. One of his hands stayed on her center, palm and fingers stroking her back down from the high. When she had stopped shaking and opened her eyes slowly, Kate realized he wasn’t done yet. She swallowed hard and moved to sit up, but Richard shook his head.

“Shh, no, no, not yet darling,” he rumbled. He shifted up, the gentle pressure of his hand telling her to not move.

Kate, however, did lean up, seeking a kiss from him. She gave a soft moan of appreciation as he gave in, hovering over her and dipping down to capture her mouth with his. Her arms wound around his neck, attempting to persuade him to rest his weight on her. But he wouldn’t give in. Richard gave her a contented, deep-sounding purr and pulled back. His eyes caught hers as he shifted again, nuzzling her neck and nipping the skin there. He moved his broad palms up over her hips affectionately, squeezing her waist and moving higher.

“Still feeling unconvinced?” he questioned, that deep, commanding tone holding her captive.

Kate swallowed hard. “Richard,” she managed, but had no idea what to say.

“Mmm,” he growled, trailing kisses down to her collarbone, hands making quick work of her shirt now.

Her skin prickled at the cool air, but Richard seemed to enjoy the response, giving her a wolfish grin. He bent forward to lave his tongue over a rosy nipple. “Seems I should continue,” he said, the same grin on his face as Kate gave him a needy whine. “Come here sweetheart.”

In an instant, he was once again sitting on the floor, fully clothed while Kate was as bare as the day she was born. Richard took hold of one of her legs and tugged enough until he could reach up and grab her waist. She ended up in his lap, arms resting on his broad shoulders as he moved her to wrap his legs around his narrow waist, opening her to him. He kissed her again, excruciatingly tender, before he placed his hands on her ribs and encouraged her to lean back against the sofa.

“I want you to watch me, Kate. Look at me always, understand?” he asked.

She swallowed hard, still unable to speak rightly. Instead she squeezed his forearms - those glorious arms - and nodded. He gave her a pleased smirk and bent forward once more. This time his talented tongue teased the peak of her other breast. She answered with a heavy sigh, head tipping back. One hand squeezed his arm again, the other going to the back of his head. He took the cue easily, wrapping his lips around the nipple and rolling it between his tongue and the roof of his mouth.

He then nipped her a bit, causing her to cry out and look back down at him. “I said eyes on me, beautiful girl,” he said against her breast, looking positively wanton as his eyes stayed locked on hers. “I want to watch you as you come for me again.”

Kate gave a heady whine in response, her fingers dragging against his scalp, “Richard…”

She kept saying his name as if he was the answer to everything. Something in her told her he was.

He hummed, that deep sound she loved, that made him sound like a big, panther. His grey-blue eyes were on her as he kissed the swell of her breast and then started to move up. “You want to come for me again, don’t you, Kate?”

She was panting, but nodded her head vigorously. “Yes, please.”

Richard chuckled, kissing and sucking at places on her neck, large palms gently massaging her hips as he slowly, gently pulled at her skin with his lips.

“Yes, please…?” he pushed, obviously wanting something more from her.

Kate’s tongue darted out to wet her lips. “Yes, please, Richard.”

Richard kissed her then, hard and claiming, one of his warm hands skimming down her side and slipping between her thighs, covering her pussy. She was completely wrapped up in the moment and pleasure with him, her earlier reservations and concerns evaporated by his kisses and heavy touches. 

Richard was the anchor as much as he was the storm. More like a hurricane; sweeping her up, undoing her, then being the calm eye of the storm before guiding her back into the tempest.

He must have seen the thought, the lust in her eyes. A deep groan that she felt move up through his chest, left his lips as he stroked her with his entire palm. “That’s my gorgeous, good girl. There you are.”

Kate practically purred again, the now almost familiar feeling of sexual confidence finally coming over her. She canted her hips up, rubbing her pussy against his palm with a bit more pressure than he was currently providing.

Richard grinned brightly, teasing at her slick entrance with two fingers. He sucked her bottom lip into a kiss. “You like it when I touch you like this, don’t you?”

She nodded, their eyes locked on each other. “I love it. Richard, more please!”

“Mmm, tell me what you really want, Kate love.” His tone was so deep, she felt a little shudder fromt it.

She pulled her lower lip between her teeth as he teased, pushing his fingers in only a bit. “I want…” she started, feeling a bit of her shyness come back.

Richard leaned in, kissing her again. “Don’t pull back now. You’re so beautiful. Tell me,” he said gently.

Looking in his eyes, Kate felt comfort. She felt wanted and cherished. And she felt for the first time that she deserved it. She deserved Richard.

“I want you to fuck me.” Her voice was steady, husky. And Richard groaned.

“How, darlin’?”

Kate moaned, nails digging into his skin and marking him. “With your hand. Your fingers.”

He smiled again. His mouth covered hers as he slipped two fingers into her dripping pussy. Kate gasped and then moaned in content, the sounds swallowed by Richard as he kissed her. Her grip on his arms tightened as she felt her body begin to coil, edging closer to release. When the kiss ended, both of them were panting heavily.

Richard rested his forehead against hers, moving his fingers in and out of her. She moaned again, his name a whisper on her lips, her voice begging him not to stop.

“God, look at you,” he whispered. She quaked again and the slide of his fingers sounded wetter.

“You look so fucking gorgeous,” he continued gruffily. “Fucking my hand, panting for me, taking what you want.” He growled and slammed his mouth onto hers.

Kate clawed at him, nails scraping anywhere she could reach - his biceps, his shoulders, his neck, the back of his head. The kiss was searing. She rode his hand now, rocking up and down, back and forth on his lap. Richard let her, pulling out of the kiss to watch her. And Kate took quite a bit of pleasure seeing his eyes - pupils blown wide - move down her body, linger on where his fingers slipped in and out of her, back up to where her breasts bounced with her movements.

She had never felt this need, this desire to see the effect she had on a man. There had always been a fear, a self-conscious moment where she thought she would see something she didn’t want to. She loathed to catch a glint of something in his eyes that would make him recoil.

But Richard … Richard looked at her in amazement. In lust. In adoration. Her heart skipped.

“Richard.” Her voice pleaded for him again. Begged for something he alone could grant her.

“Go on, darlin’,” he growled, stroking in and out of her before moving up to pet her clit.

Kate’s back arched, her eyes locked on him, determined to hold his gaze. Richard rocked his hand against her, following the lead of her hips as she ground against him. Her voice raised as she came closer to that fall she sought. He guided her in the right direction, whispering encouragingly as her body moved of its own accord.

“Just like that, Richard. Oh God, yes!”

“That’s my girl. Christ you’re so wet. That’s all for me, isn’t it? Tell me.”

“Yes!” Her grip on him tightened everywhere.

Their foreheads were pressed together again, their voices low and just for each other.

“Oh you’re close. That’s it, darlin’. Just like that. Ride my hand. Come on my fingers.”

Kate’s voice rose up as she obeyed him, her thighs shaking as she cried out his name. Everything in her tensed for one brief moment; her fingers clutched at his arms, back arched, body pressing against him. Richard reached up with his free hand, gently taking hold of her neck to keep their gazes on one another. His fingers between her thighs worked her through the climax, down briefly before she rose and shuddered through another.

Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, afraid for a moment she would drown in some unseen water and he was the only thing that could keep her safe. Her mouth formed a perfect ‘o,’ a speaker for her moans and sobs of complete bliss.

“Fuck, you’re so damn beautiful,” Richard mumbled, one hand carding through her dark hair. “So beautiful. And all mine.”

Kate’s chest was heaving as she fell against him, desperate to keep him as close as possible. Richard seemed to know exactly what she was searching for. It surprised her slightly, though she realized it shouldn’t have.

“Shh, my love,” he whispered, wrapping her up, encompassing her with his arms and body. “Cuddle close. I’ve got you.”

She burrowed against him, just like a little kitten might, seeking his warmth and listening to his heart beat. In a bit, she would rouse and let him have his release. She couldn’t wait to hear his voice as he came undone. To feel his erratic thrusts and his tight hold on her.

But for now, the soft murmur of his praises and gentle arms around her was just perfect.


End file.
